BuddyPress vs Authenticator (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

BuddyPress

BuddyPress

4.1(375)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 6 months ago
View BuddyPress
VS
Authenticator

Authenticator

5(8)

1.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 2 months ago
View Authenticator

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Authenticator has a higher user rating (5/5 from 8 reviews) while BuddyPress leads in active installations (100K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. BuddyPress has accumulated 13M+ total downloads while Authenticator has 97K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.1/5BuddyPress
Authenticator5/5
Total Reviews
375BuddyPress
Authenticator8
Active Installs
100K+BuddyPress
Authenticator1.0K+
Total Downloads
13M+BuddyPress
Authenticator97K+
Support Resolution
N/ABuddyPress
AuthenticatorN/A
Last Updated
6 months agoBuddyPress
Authenticator2 months ago
First Released
2009BuddyPress
Authenticator2008
Age
17 yearsBuddyPress
Authenticator18 years
WP Requires
6.1+BuddyPress
Authenticator5.0+
PHP Requires
5.6+BuddyPress
Authenticator5.6+
Business Model
FreeBuddyPress
AuthenticatorFree
Latest Version
14.4.0BuddyPress
Authenticator1.3.1

Rating Breakdown

BuddyPress

4.1/5(375 reviews)
5
67%
4
10%
3
5%
2
5%
1
14%

Authenticator

5/5(8 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

BuddyPress Reviews

by Emilio Lejit

Great, magnificent and impeccable plugin. Does exactly what’s described.

Great, magnificent and impeccable plugin. Does exactly what’s described.

by trentkanor

Works fine

Not the easiest

by ahmedahmedanter0

needs remade from scratch

This plugin needs to be completely rebuilt from scratch, with a particular focus on redesigning the user interface.

Authenticator Reviews

by giovanni1963it

Functionality

perfect

by gudi

I love simplicity

It doesn’t get easier than this. Thank you ♥

by Peter Raschendorfer

Indispensable

This is the first plugin I install on every new website to protect it until going live. Never had any problems with this handy piece of software. Thanks, Peter

Frequently Asked Questions

Is BuddyPress or Authenticator more popular?
BuddyPress has 100K+ active installations while Authenticator has 1.0K+. BuddyPress is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — BuddyPress or Authenticator?
BuddyPress has a 4.1/5 rating from 375 reviews, while Authenticator has a 5/5 rating from 8 reviews.
Are BuddyPress and Authenticator free?
BuddyPress is free and Authenticator is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — BuddyPress or Authenticator?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
BuddyPress was last updated 6 months ago and Authenticator was last updated 2 months ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.