WordPress plugin comparison
Defender Security vs MalCare WordPress Security Plugin
Defender Security
by WPMU DEV - Your All-in-One WordPress Platform
80K+ installs4.8
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin
by malcare
100K+ installs4.4
At a glance
- MalCare WordPress Security Plugin has more active installs: 100K+, against 80K+ for Defender Security.
- On a typical day, MalCare WordPress Security Plugin is downloaded about 2,185 times, Defender Security about 546.
- Defender Security is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 334 reviews, against 4.4 from 561 reviews.
- MalCare WordPress Security Plugin was updated more recently: Oct 30, 2026, against Sep 29, 2026 for Defender Security.
- Both are tested up to WordPress 7.1.4.
- Defender Security has been around longer: since 2017, against 2018 for MalCare WordPress Security Plugin.
Line by line
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin leads on 4 of 6 comparable lines.
| Metric | Defender Security | MalCare WordPress Security Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank | #519 | #289 |
| Active installs | 80K+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 18.2K | 151.1K |
| Rating | 4.8(334) | 4.4(561) |
| Support threads resolved | 100% | 100% |
| Tested up to | 7.1.4 | 7.1.4 |
| Search multiplier | ×1.74 | ×1.43 |
| Last release | 1 month ago | 10 days ago |
| Requires PHP | 8.0.0 | 7.0 |
From WordPress.org's public data, refreshed every night. Downloads are WordPress.org's official daily figures for the last 30 days.
Tags they share
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