Wordfence Security vs Defender Pro
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Wordfence Security v9.0.2 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.7/5 Visit Details | Defender Pro v5.5.0 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Paid Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 5M+ | — |
| Last updated | September 30, 2026 | — |
| Editions | Wordfence Security · Wordfence Premium ($) | Defender Pro ($) |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 3 | — |
| Features (Security plugins checklist) | ||
| Firewall | Yes | Paid |
| Malware scan | Yes | Paid |
| Login protection | Yes | Yes |
| Two-factor login | Yes | Yes |
| Activity log | Paid | Yes |
| Free version | Yes | No |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Real-time malware signature and scan frequency options ($), Passkey sign-in, Security audit log ($), WooCommerce customer registration filter | Custom login URL, Security headers, Password protection, Security tweaks, Web application firewall (WAF) ($), Known vulnerability check during scans ($), Blocklist monitoring ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| E-commerce | WooCommerce | — |
| Plugins | — | WPMU DEV hub ($) |
| Other | — | Google reCAPTCHA, MaxMind GeoLite database, Cloudflare API, Global blocklist service ($) |
| Requires WordPress | 4.7 | 6.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | — |
| Phones home | No | Only if you agree |
| External services | noc1.wordfence.com, noc3.wordfence.com, www.wordfence.com, noc4.wordfence.com | gist.githubusercontent.com, api.wordpress.org, api.cloudflare.com, api.blocklist-service.com, downloads.wordpress.org, wpmudev.com |
| Shortcodes | — | 1 |
| Custom tables | — | 8 |