Really Simple SSL vs Security Optimizer
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Really Simple SSL v9.8.3 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Security Optimizer v1.6.9 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.5/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 3M+ | 1M+ |
| Last updated | September 15, 2026 | October 14, 2026 |
| Editions | Really Simple Security · Really Simple Security Pro ($) | Security Optimizer |
| Pros | One-click HTTPS migration with 301 redirects; Hardening options such as XML-RPC and user enumeration; Email two-factor login for chosen roles in the free version | Login attempt limits and two-factor login; Activity log and custom login URL; Free, with no paid tier in the code |
| Cons | Captcha, authenticator 2FA, passkeys and firewall need Pro; Vulnerability checks send plugin and theme names to a remote service; Many settings screens to review after setup | No malware scanner; No web application firewall or request filtering; Some hardening rules are written to .htaccess |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | — |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Paid | No |
| Malware scan | No | No |
| Login protection | Yes | Yes |
| Two-factor login | Yes | Yes |
| Activity log | No | Yes |
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| More features | ||
| Other features | One-click HTTPS migration and redirects, Vulnerability detection for plugins, themes and core, Email two-factor login for roles, WordPress hardening options, Authenticator app two-factor login ($), Captcha on login (reCAPTCHA or hCaptcha) ($) | XSS protection headers, XML-RPC blocking, Directory hardening, Custom login URL, Disable theme and plugin editors, Hide WordPress version, Salt shaker (rotate auth keys) |
| Integrations | ||
| Marketing | Really Simple Security mailing list | — |
| Other | Cloudways API, SSL Labs, Really Simple Security vulnerability service, Google reCAPTCHA ($), hCaptcha ($) | — |
| Requires WordPress | 6.6 | 4.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | No |
| External services | api.cloudways.com, api.ssllabs.com | sgwpdemo.com |
| Custom tables | — | 2 |