Groups vs Menu By User Roles (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Menu By User Roles has a higher user rating (5/5 from 3 reviews) while Groups leads in active installations (10K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Groups has accumulated 991K+ total downloads while Menu By User Roles has 8.6K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Groups | Menu By User Roles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 380 | ◄ | 3 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 991K+ | ◄ | 8.6K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 6 months ago |
| First Released | 2012 | 2023 | |
| Age | 14 years | 3 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.7+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 7.0+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.1.0 | 2.0.4 |
Rating Breakdown
Groups
Menu By User Roles
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Groups averaged approximately 345 daily downloads while Menu By User Roles averaged 7.
Recent Reviews
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!
Menu By User Roles Reviews
TOP
Great plugin for managing user levels and it helped me a lot in my projects
Awesome
Awesome products……….
Awesome!
Thanks for releasing this menu customizer by role. I tried the following plugins and checked their sourcecode too. If Menu Nav Menu Roles User Roles This plugin has the most pleasing UI
More Access Control Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Groups and Menu By User Roles
Restrict content based on login status, user roles, device type & more. Monetize your content with a paywall or members-only content.
Create Access Levels and restrict any post, page, category, etc. Supports bbPress, BuddyPress, WooCommerce, WPML, and more.
Add stylish download buttons to any post or page — 7 styles, countdown, popup modal, access control. Gutenberg block and shortcode.
The SimpleShop WP plugin connects your WordPress website with a SimpleShop account and allows you to restrict the access only for members.
Redirect 404's when a visitor tries to access a page protected by Groups.
Simple but yet effective plugin to hide selected posts and pages from anonymous users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Groups or Menu By User Roles more popular?
Which has better ratings — Groups or Menu By User Roles?
Are Groups and Menu By User Roles free?
Which plugin has better support — Groups or Menu By User Roles?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.