Really Simple SSL vs Defender Pro
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 | Defender Pro v5.5.0 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Paid Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 3M+ | — |
| Last updated | September 15, 2026 | — |
| Editions | Really Simple Security · Really Simple Security Pro ($) | Defender Pro ($) |
| 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 | Two-factor login, login lockouts and a custom login URL; Activity log of user and site changes; Security headers and password protection in one plugin; Security tweaks and hardening settings in one dashboard |
| 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 | WAF, malware and vulnerability checks need a membership key; Paid product, licensed through a WPMU DEV membership key; Connects to the WPMU DEV hub and several third-party services |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | — |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Paid | Paid |
| Malware scan | No | Paid |
| Login protection | Yes | Yes |
| Two-factor login | Yes | Yes |
| Activity log | No | Yes |
| Free version | Yes | No |
| 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 ($), Captcha on login (reCAPTCHA or hCaptcha) ($) | Custom login URL, Security headers, Password protection, Security tweaks, Web application firewall (WAF) ($), Known vulnerability check during scans ($), Blocklist monitoring ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Marketing | Really Simple Security mailing list | — |
| Plugins | — | WPMU DEV hub ($) |
| Other | Cloudways API, SSL Labs, Really Simple Security vulnerability service, Google reCAPTCHA ($), hCaptcha ($) | Google reCAPTCHA, MaxMind GeoLite database, Cloudflare API, Global blocklist service ($) |
| Requires WordPress | 6.6 | 6.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | — |
| Phones home | No | Only if you agree |
| External services | api.cloudways.com, api.ssllabs.com | gist.githubusercontent.com, api.wordpress.org, api.cloudflare.com, api.blocklist-service.com, downloads.wordpress.org, wpmudev.com |
| Shortcodes | — | 1 |
| Custom tables | — | 8 |