MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… vs SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin…
200K+ active installs
Free
SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login…
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… has a higher user rating (4.3/5 from 521 reviews) and leads in active installations (200K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… has accumulated 17M+ total downloads while SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… has 48K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… | SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ◄ | 3.4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 521 | ◄ | 14 |
| Active Installs | 200K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 17M+ | ◄ | 48K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2018 | 2013 | |
| Age | 8 years | 13 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 3.8+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | 8.0+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.39 | 5.1.0 |
Rating Breakdown
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin…
SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… averaged approximately 5,514 daily downloads while SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… averaged 26.
Recent Reviews
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… Reviews
Above and beyond
I am over the moon with my experience with Malcare. Not only did their free online tool fine malware where others didn’t, they fixed it immediately and then went on to surprise and delight me by helpi
Great plugin and support
Great plugin, lightweight and protects the sites. Support is amazing, fast replies and care to help.
HUMAN SUPPORT TOP SECURITY
I got a fake recaptcha script on my site , i tried all ways to locate it but all in vain.Then i found malcare, there scanner helped me realised that my site had far more issues than just an enqueued s
SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… Reviews
SiteLock Security WordPress Plugin
The SiteLock Security WordPress plugin is a lightweight WordPress security tool aimed at giving site owners essential protections with minimal performance impact. It focuses on baseline hardening (e.g
SSL verification not working
Since the start of the service SiteLock is not able to connect to my (verified) domain and verify the SSL certificate. Support reactions are far from satisfying.
Bad product, worse customer support
They will show false positives for Google Analytics tag, then charge you to remove it, then send you an email saying they were wrong and it was a false positive and that they didn’t actually remove an
More Wordpress Security Worth Comparing
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… or SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… more popular?
Which has better ratings — MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… or SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login…?
Are MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… and SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login… free?
Which plugin has better support — MalCare WordPress Security Plugin… or SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login…?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.