Private groups vs BuddyPress Members Only (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
BuddyPress Members Only
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Private groups has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 49 reviews) and leads in active installations (1.0K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Private groups has accumulated 152K+ total downloads while BuddyPress Members Only has 119K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Private groups | BuddyPress Members Only | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9/5 | ◄ | 3.7/5 |
| Total Reviews | 49 | ◄ | 26 |
| Active Installs | 1.0K+ | 1.0K+ | |
| Total Downloads | 152K+ | ◄ | 119K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2014 | 2014 | |
| Age | 12 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | false+ | 3.8+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.9.7 | 3.6.3 |
Rating Breakdown
Private groups
BuddyPress Members Only
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Private groups averaged approximately 10 daily downloads while BuddyPress Members Only averaged 9.
Recent Reviews
Private groups Reviews
Granular, well explained, works like a charm
Exactly what I needed. A simple, yet powerful solution. Very well documented inside the Settings area.
Wonderful Plugin
Just works wonderfully, I’m really impressed.
Very impressed
While testing, I was already impressed with the functionality, then had a minor bug issue and it was fixed within 24 hours with a few emails. Now that’s superb support 🙂 Super plugin that works
BuddyPress Members Only Reviews
True membership plugin
if you are searching for a really extensive membership plugin this is the one. the pro version takes it to the max with the custom post type and specific url restrictions per user role. so not only g
SITE CRASH
After plugin installed, the buddypress website full crashed regards redirections, also admin surface too. Need remove all WP and buddypress plugin from DB too. So almost reinstall everything.
My site got crashed
I’m working on a new website/solution here, it’s almost done. When trying to use this plugin, it started to ask for a password on the homepage of my website. Even if I’m using my admin account, it was
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Private groups or BuddyPress Members Only more popular?
Which has better ratings — Private groups or BuddyPress Members Only?
Are Private groups and BuddyPress Members Only free?
Which plugin has better support — Private groups or BuddyPress Members Only?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.