iThemes Security vs Really Simple SSL
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | iThemes Security v10.0.6 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.6/5 Visit Details | Really Simple SSL v9.8.3 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 700,000+ | 3M+ |
| Last updated | October 14, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Editions | Kadence Security Basic · Kadence Security Pro ($) | Really Simple Security · Really Simple Security Pro ($) |
| Pros | Two-factor login, brute-force lockout and compromised password checks; Site scanner and file change monitoring in the free version | One-click HTTPS migration with 301 redirects; Hardening options such as XML-RPC and user enumeration; Email two-factor login for chosen roles in the free version |
| Cons | Scheduled site scans need the paid Pro plugin; Many settings and modules make the first setup long | Captcha, authenticator 2FA, passkeys and firewall need Pro; Vulnerability checks send plugin and theme names to a remote service; Many settings screens to review after setup |
| Mentioned in our posts | 2 | 1 |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Yes | Paid |
| Malware scan | Yes | No |
| Login protection | Yes | Yes |
| Two-factor login | Yes | Yes |
| Activity log | Yes | No |
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Refuses compromised passwords via Have I Been Pwned, File change monitoring, Ban users and IP addresses, Hide the login page, Scheduled site scans ($), Pro security check service ($) | One-click HTTPS migration and redirects, Vulnerability detection for plugins, themes and core, Email two-factor login for roles, WordPress hardening options, Authenticator app two-factor login ($), Captcha on login (reCAPTCHA or hCaptcha) ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Marketing | — | Really Simple Security mailing list |
| Other | Have I Been Pwned, WordPress secret-key service, Kadence Security status service | Cloudways API, SSL Labs, Really Simple Security vulnerability service, Google reCAPTCHA ($), hCaptcha ($) |
| Requires WordPress | 6.5 | 6.6 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | assets.solidwp.com, api.pwnedpasswords.com, api.wordpress.org, itsec-ssl-proxy-detect.ithemes.com | api.cloudways.com, api.ssllabs.com |
| Blocks | 1 | — |
| Shortcodes | 1 | — |