Really Simple SSL vs Shield Security
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 | Shield Security v22.2.6 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.8/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 3M+ | 30,000+ |
| Last updated | September 15, 2026 | October 5, 2026 |
| Editions | Really Simple Security · Really Simple Security Pro ($) | Shield Security · ShieldPRO ($) |
| 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 | Blocks bots and brute-force logins without much setup; Email and hardware two-factor login in the free edition; Activity log and WordPress file scanning in the free edition |
| 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 | Off-site backups, passkeys and AI malware scanning need ShieldPRO; Many options, so the settings screens take time to learn |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 2 |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Paid | Yes |
| Malware scan | No | Yes |
| 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 ($), Captcha on login (reCAPTCHA or hCaptcha) ($) | Scores visitors and blocks repeat offenders, Brute-force login limits with cooldown, silentCAPTCHA on the comment form, Email two-factor login, WordPress file scanner, ShieldBACKUPS off-site backups (ShieldPRO) ($), Passkey login (ShieldPRO) ($), AI-based malware scanner (ShieldPRO) ($), White label controls (ShieldPRO) ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Marketing | Really Simple Security mailing list | — |
| Plugins | — | MainWP ($) |
| Other | Cloudways API, SSL Labs, Really Simple Security vulnerability service, Google reCAPTCHA ($), hCaptcha ($) | CrowdSec, Yubico YubiKey verification, Shield Net API |
| Requires WordPress | 6.6 | 5.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | Only if you agree |
| External services | api.cloudways.com, api.ssllabs.com | net.getshieldsecurity.com, api.yubico.com, api.crowdsec.net, api.aptoweb.com |
| Shortcodes | — | 1 |