Password Protected vs Really Simple SSL
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Password Protected v2.8.4 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.4/5 Visit Details | Really Simple SSL v9.8.3 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 3M+ |
| Last updated | July 30, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Editions | Password Protected · Password Protected Pro ($) | Really Simple Security · Really Simple Security Pro ($) |
| Pros | Simple whole-site lock with one password; Throttles failed login attempts and allows IP addresses; Optional Google reCAPTCHA on the login form | 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 | Free version locks the whole site only; Per-page, post and category protection need the paid Pro tier; Upgrade prompts appear in the admin and email templates | 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 | — | 1 |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | — | Paid |
| Malware scan | — | No |
| Login protection | — | Yes |
| Two-factor login | — | Yes |
| Activity log | — | No |
| Free version | — | Yes |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Whole-site password lock, Throttles failed login attempts, Allowed IP addresses bypass the lock, Administrators can bypass the lock, Feeds and REST API closed while locked, Google reCAPTCHA on the login form, Scheduled activity report email, Multiple passwords through a Pro filter ($), hCaptcha and Cloudflare Turnstile on the login form ($) | 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 |
| Plugins | Elementor | — |
| Other | Google reCAPTCHA | Cloudways API, SSL Labs, Really Simple Security vulnerability service, Google reCAPTCHA ($), hCaptcha ($) |
| Requires WordPress | 4.9.6 | 6.6 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.0 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | www.google.com | api.cloudways.com, api.ssllabs.com |
| Shortcodes | 1 | — |