Wordfence Security vs Sucuri Security
Wordfence Security is a security plugin with an endpoint firewall, malware scanner, login protection and two-factor authentication, with rules and malware signatures maintained by a dedicated team. Sucuri Security focuses on monitoring, malware detection and hardening, including file integrity checks, activity audit logs and email alerts, and connects to the Sucuri firewall and cleanup services. On the features we track, both cover a firewall, malware scanning, login protection, two-factor login, an activity log and a free version. The difference is in delivery: Wordfence's firewall is an endpoint firewall within the plugin, while Sucuri's firewall and cleanup are paid services.
| Feature | Wordfence Security v9.0.2 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.7/5 Visit Details | Sucuri Security v2.8.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.2/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 5M+ | 600,000+ |
| Last updated | September 30, 2026 | October 14, 2026 |
| Editions | Wordfence Security · Wordfence Premium ($) | Sucuri Security - Auditing, Malware Scanner and Hardening · Sucuri Firewall + WordPress Security Plugin ($) |
| Pros | Firewall, malware scanner, 2FA and passkey login in the free version; Scanner checks core, theme and plugin files against WordPress.org; Dashboard for scan results, blocking and login settings | File integrity scanner and audit logs in the free plugin; Two-factor login and hardening options; Remote SiteCheck scan included |
| Cons | Free version receives firewall and malware signature updates 30 days late; Audit log and real-time threat updates need Premium; Scans and firewall add work on the server | Firewall and brute-force protection need a paid subscription; Many screens and settings to review; Cloud features depend on Sucuri services |
| Mentioned in our posts | 3 | 1 |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Yes | Paid |
| Malware scan | Yes | Yes |
| Login protection | Yes | No |
| Two-factor login | Yes | Yes |
| Activity log | Paid | Yes |
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Real-time malware signature and scan frequency options ($), Passkey sign-in, Security audit log ($), WooCommerce customer registration filter | File integrity monitoring, Audit logs of site changes, Failed login logging and alerts, Hardening settings, Two-factor login with TOTP, Remote SiteCheck scan, Cloud web application firewall ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| E-commerce | WooCommerce | — |
| Other | — | Sucuri WAF API ($), Sucuri SiteCheck |
| Requires WordPress | 4.7 | 6.0 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | No |
| External services | noc1.wordfence.com, noc3.wordfence.com, www.wordfence.com, noc4.wordfence.com | waf.sucuri.net, sitecheck.sucuri.net, wp-plugin.sucuri.net |
Verdict
Wordfence Security suits site owners who want an all-round protection layer running within WordPress. Sucuri Security suits owners who want visibility into changes on their site, with the option of an external firewall and cleanup service.