WordPress plugin comparison

API Bearer Auth vs JWT Authentication for WP REST API

API Bearer Auth

by michielve

300+ installs5.0

JWT Authentication for WP REST API

by tmeister

60K+ installs4.4

At a glance

JWT Authentication for WP REST API has more active installs: 60K+, against 300+ for API Bearer Auth.
On a typical day, JWT Authentication for WP REST API is downloaded about 320 times, API Bearer Auth about 10.
API Bearer Auth is rated higher: 5.0 out of 5 from 6 reviews, against 4.4 from 53 reviews.
JWT Authentication for WP REST API was updated more recently: Nov 6, 2026, against Dec 8, 2025 for API Bearer Auth.
JWT Authentication for WP REST API is tested with a newer WordPress: 7.1.4, against 6.9.11 for API Bearer Auth.
JWT Authentication for WP REST API has been around longer: since 2015, against 2017 for API Bearer Auth.

JWT Authentication for WP REST API leads on 6 of 7 comparable lines.

Metric	API Bearer Auth	JWT Authentication for WP REST API
Popular rank	#11,019	#684
Active installs	300+	60K+
Downloads, last 30 days	260	8.8K
Rating	5.0(6)	4.4(53)
Support threads resolved	–	–
Tested up to	6.9.11	7.1.4
Search multiplier	×0.33	×1.02
Last release	11 months ago	3 days ago
Requires PHP	5.4.0	7.4.0

From WordPress.org's public data, refreshed every night. Downloads are WordPress.org's official daily figures for the last 30 days.

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