PluginSift

Google Authenticator vs Passwords Evolved (2026)

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

Google Authenticator

Google Authenticator

4.3(134)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 years ago
View Google Authenticator
VS
Passwords Evolved

Passwords Evolved

5(2)

2.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Passwords Evolved

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Passwords Evolved has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while Google Authenticator leads in active installations (20K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Google Authenticator has accumulated 691K+ total downloads while Passwords Evolved has 26K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5Google Authenticator
►
Passwords Evolved5/5
Total Reviews
134Google Authenticator
◄
Passwords Evolved2
Active Installs
20K+Google Authenticator
◄
Passwords Evolved2.0K+
Total Downloads
691K+Google Authenticator
◄
Passwords Evolved26K+
Support Resolution
N/AGoogle Authenticator
Passwords EvolvedN/A
Last Updated
3 years agoGoogle Authenticator
►
Passwords Evolved1 year ago
First Released
2011Google Authenticator
Passwords Evolved2018
Age
15 yearsGoogle Authenticator
Passwords Evolved8 years
WP Requires
4.5+Google Authenticator
Passwords Evolved5.2+
PHP Requires
false+Google Authenticator
Passwords Evolved5.6+
Business Model
FreeGoogle Authenticator
Passwords EvolvedFree
Latest Version
0.54Google Authenticator
Passwords Evolved1.4.0

Rating Breakdown

Google Authenticator

4.3/5(134 reviews)
5
78%
4
5%
3
2%
2
1%
1
13%

Passwords Evolved

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

Recent Reviews

Google Authenticator Reviews

by Trần Quân

Great

Great plugin, but I wish to use a QR code for scanning when I log in.

by Bart Bak

Simply a missing feature in .ORG

Works! Uses WordPress UI, is super lightweight, not overdesigned, and is trivial to set up. Great job!

by ntalam

error

Fatal error: Uncaught Firebase\JWT\BeforeValidException: Cannot handle token prior to 2023-04-30T20:30:33+0000 in …\one-tap-google-sign-in\includes\vendor\firebase\php-jwt\src\JWT.phpI understand it r

Passwords Evolved Reviews

by Austin Ginder

Such a simple, yet brilliant, idea

This simple protection check is an absolute must. Every WordPress website can benefit. Highly recommend that WordPress core adopt this functionality.

by Knut Sparhell

Great enhancement and well made

This seems to work very well, at least no issues – immediate or long term. A client user was very surprised that “WordPress” could know their password was “pwned”, but thankful for the reminder. Bewar

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Authenticator or Passwords Evolved more popular?
Google Authenticator has 20K+ active installations while Passwords Evolved has 2.0K+. Google Authenticator is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Google Authenticator or Passwords Evolved?
Google Authenticator has a 4.3/5 rating from 134 reviews, while Passwords Evolved has a 5/5 rating from 2 reviews.
Are Google Authenticator and Passwords Evolved free?
Google Authenticator is free and Passwords Evolved is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Google Authenticator or Passwords Evolved?
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?
Google Authenticator was last updated 3 years ago and Passwords Evolved was last updated 1 year ago.

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