Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… vs Defender Security – Malware Scanner… (2026)

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

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…

4.7(4,847)

5.0M+ active installs

Free + Premium

Updated 3 months ago
View Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
VS
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…

Defender Security – Malware Scanner…

4.8(330)

90K+ active installs

Free + Premium

Updated 1 month ago
View Defender Security – Malware Scanner…

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Defender Security – Malware Scanner… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 330 reviews) while Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… leads in active installations (5.0M+ vs 90K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has accumulated 407M+ total downloads while Defender Security – Malware Scanner… has 4.0M+. Defender Security – Malware Scanner… has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 85%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…4.8/5
Total Reviews
4,847Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…330
Active Installs
5.0M+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…90K+
Total Downloads
407M+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…4.0M+
Support Resolution
85%Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…100%
Last Updated
3 months agoWordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…1 month ago
First Released
2012Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…2017
Age
14 yearsWordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…9 years
WP Requires
4.7+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…6.4+
PHP Requires
7.0+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…8.0.0+
Business Model
Free + PremiumWordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…Free + Premium
Latest Version
8.1.4Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Defender Security – Malware Scanner…5.10.0

Rating Breakdown

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…

4.7/5(4,847 reviews)
5
90%
4
2%
3
1%
2
1%
1
5%

Defender Security – Malware Scanner…

4.8/5(330 reviews)
5
91%
4
3%
3
2%
2
2%
1
2%

Recent Reviews

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… Reviews

by Alex Spataru

Helped my clients a lot

Thank you for creating and actively maintaining this plugin. I hope you keep improving the plugin, especially the free tier.

by hhenrytac

GREAT SUPPORT AND BEST-IN-CLASS

Wordfence is the best security tool I’ve found. Not only are the Vulnerability Database and the Thursday bug emails full of data that is both useful and timely, support is great. They are truly best-i

by hudsonhorta

Muito profissional e seguro

Está dando a segurança que precisamos para o site.

Defender Security – Malware Scanner… Reviews

by ivanhomecom

Excellent app

Excellent app I recoment

by Mykola Kolos

Defender 5.10.0

After updating to version 5.10.0, it conflicts with Elementor Pro version 3.35.7It causes it to switch to safe mode.Disabling the plugin resolved the issue.The plugin handles security tasks well.

by lwloingo

Very good and secure!

Many attacks have been repelled, and you are well informed about the measures necessary to maintain protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… or Defender Security – Malware Scanner… more popular?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has 5.0M+ active installations while Defender Security – Malware Scanner… has 90K+. Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… or Defender Security – Malware Scanner…?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has a 4.7/5 rating from 4,847 reviews, while Defender Security – Malware Scanner… has a 4.8/5 rating from 330 reviews.
Are Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… and Defender Security – Malware Scanner… free?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… is free + premium and Defender Security – Malware Scanner… is free + premium. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… or Defender Security – Malware Scanner…?
As of April 2026, Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has a 85% support resolution rate while Defender Security – Malware Scanner… has a 100% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… was last updated 3 months ago and Defender Security – Malware Scanner… was last updated 1 month ago.

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