Defender vs Wordfence Security
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Defender v6.3.0 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.8/5 Visit Details | Wordfence Security v9.0.2 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.7/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 5M+ |
| Last updated | September 29, 2026 | September 30, 2026 |
| Editions | Defender · Defender Pro ($) | Wordfence Security · Wordfence Premium ($) |
| Pros | Malware scanner, firewall, login lockout and 2FA in the free version; Local audit log is free; Many hardening settings can be applied from one screen | Firewall, malware scanner, 2FA and passkey login in the free version; Scanner checks core, theme and plugin files against WordPress.org; Dashboard for scan results, blocking and login settings |
| Cons | Scheduled scans and email reports need Pro; Several features send data to WPMU DEV or third-party services | Free version receives firewall and malware signature updates 30 days late; Audit log and real-time threat updates need Premium; Scans and firewall add work on the server |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 3 |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Yes | Yes |
| Malware scan | Yes | Yes |
| Login protection | Yes | Yes |
| Two-factor login | Yes | Yes |
| Activity log | Yes | Paid |
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Scheduled malware scans ($), Email reports ($), AntiBot Global Firewall from shared threat data, IP blocklist and lockout, Captcha on login and forms, Strong password enforcement, One-click security hardening settings, Custom login URL | Real-time malware signature and scan frequency options ($), Passkey sign-in, Security audit log ($), WooCommerce customer registration filter |
| Integrations | ||
| E-commerce | WooCommerce | WooCommerce |
| Plugins | BuddyPress, Akismet | — |
| Other | Google reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile, WPMU DEV Hub | — |
| Requires WordPress | 6.4 | 4.7 |
| Requires PHP | 8.0.0 | 7.0 |
| Tested up to | 7.1.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | wpmudev.com, gist.githubusercontent.com, api.wordpress.org, api.cloudflare.com, downloads.wordpress.org, www.google.com, challenges.cloudflare.com, api.mixpanel.com | noc1.wordfence.com, noc3.wordfence.com, www.wordfence.com, noc4.wordfence.com |
| Shortcodes | 1 | — |
| Custom tables | 8 | — |