Controlled Admin Access vs Groups (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Controlled Admin Access
10K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Controlled Admin Access has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 44 reviews) and leads in active installations (10K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Controlled Admin Access has accumulated 218K+ total downloads while Groups has 991K+. Groups has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Controlled Admin Access | Groups | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.8/5 | |
| Total Reviews | 44 | ► | 380 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | 10K+ | |
| Total Downloads | 218K+ | ► | 991K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | ► | 100% |
| Last Updated | 3 months ago | ► | 1 week ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2012 | |
| Age | 11 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 6.7+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.1.2 | 4.1.0 |
Rating Breakdown
Controlled Admin Access
Groups
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Controlled Admin Access averaged approximately 44 daily downloads while Groups averaged 345.
Recent Reviews
Controlled Admin Access Reviews
Great Plugin
It’s a very great plugin. Thank you.
Perfect software
The software works perfectly. Something than can maybe be added is a way to log page view, of the admins we create. (Real time, or simply log events & display them onto a page), maybe with an email no
Excellent!
This is an extremely useful little plugin that not only makes it easier to provide admin access to outsiders but also to understand what actions they are taking and ensuring they don’t have access to
Groups Reviews
Simple access restriction that really works
I’ve been using this plugin for a number of years on our documentation website. I create documentation for all of my clients in one single website, and then I restrict access to the pages so that each
Super!
…
Clean simple plug-in that works as expected!
I needed a simple solution for member only pages and this plug-in works great!
More Access Worth Comparing
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With the "User Access Manager"-plugin you can manage the access to your posts, pages and files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Controlled Admin Access or Groups more popular?
Which has better ratings — Controlled Admin Access or Groups?
Are Controlled Admin Access and Groups free?
Which plugin has better support — Controlled Admin Access or Groups?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.