Advanced Access Manager – Access… vs User Roles and Capabilities (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Advanced Access Manager – Access…
100K+ active installs
Free
User Roles and Capabilities
8.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, User Roles and Capabilities has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 21 reviews) while Advanced Access Manager – Access… leads in active installations (100K+ vs 8.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Advanced Access Manager – Access… has accumulated 7.4M+ total downloads while User Roles and Capabilities has 125K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Advanced Access Manager – Access… | User Roles and Capabilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 420 | ◄ | 21 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 8.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 7.4M+ | ◄ | 125K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 weeks ago | ◄ | 4 years ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2015 | |
| Age | 15 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.8.0+ | 3.5+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 7.1.0 | 1.2.6 |
Rating Breakdown
Advanced Access Manager – Access…
User Roles and Capabilities
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Advanced Access Manager – Access… averaged approximately 2,029 daily downloads while User Roles and Capabilities averaged 15.
Recent Reviews
Advanced Access Manager – Access… Reviews
Fantastic
very good plugin.
Best in class
I have been looking for a plugin to manage user access and AAM is by far the best of all. Highly recommended.
This is an incredible plugin
This plugin is the best out there. I use it every time I have a client that needs to have access to the backend. I can easily make changes to permissions for every user role. 10 stars guys
User Roles and Capabilities Reviews
The best so far.
There’s nothing like this out there. Recommended.
Nice and easy to use
I’ve tried many user role plugins…but this one is the easiest to use and straight forward…love it! Well done!
Save button is gone?
“Change roles and capabilities for user” in page, button is gone! Changes not saved 🙁
More User Roles Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Advanced Access Manager – Access… and User Roles and Capabilities
PublishPress Capabilities is the access control plugin. You can manage user capabilities, permissions, user roles, admin menus and more.
Hide the WordPress Admin Bar for specific user roles, capabilities, devices, pages, or time windows. The ultimate toolbar control plugin for membershi …
Easily assign different menus to pages, posts, user roles, devices, and custom URLs using advanced conditional menu visibility rules.
It hides the default role dropdown list and displays a list of role checkboxes to select multiple roles for a user.
Menu By User Roles allows you to control the visibility of menu items based on user roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Advanced Access Manager – Access… or User Roles and Capabilities more popular?
Which has better ratings — Advanced Access Manager – Access… or User Roles and Capabilities?
Are Advanced Access Manager – Access… and User Roles and Capabilities free?
Which plugin has better support — Advanced Access Manager – Access… or User Roles and Capabilities?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.