WP BASIC Auth vs Password Protect Staging (2026)

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

WP BASIC Auth

WP BASIC Auth

3.6(7)

4.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 years ago
View WP BASIC Auth
VS
Password Protect Staging

Password Protect Staging

5(2)

80 active installs

Free

Updated 11 years ago
View Password Protect Staging

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Password Protect Staging has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while WP BASIC Auth leads in active installations (4.0K+ vs 80). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP BASIC Auth has accumulated 123K+ total downloads while Password Protect Staging has 8.4K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
3.6/5WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging5/5
Total Reviews
7WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging2
Active Installs
4.0K+WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging80
Total Downloads
123K+WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging8.4K+
Support Resolution
N/AWP BASIC Auth
Password Protect StagingN/A
Last Updated
3 years agoWP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging11 years ago
First Released
2013WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging2014
Age
13 yearsWP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging12 years
WP Requires
3.0+WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging3.5+
PHP Requires
false+WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Stagingfalse+
Business Model
FreeWP BASIC Auth
Password Protect StagingFree
Latest Version
1.1.4WP BASIC Auth
Password Protect Staging1.0.0

Rating Breakdown

WP BASIC Auth

3.6/5(7 reviews)
5
43%
4
29%
3
0%
2
0%
1
29%

Password Protect Staging

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

Recent Reviews

WP BASIC Auth Reviews

by Rhand

Awesome Plugin

Great plugin. Instead of setting up ht authentication yourself you can use this plugin and it will allow you to use an existing user and password to authenticate instead of adding one on top or for cr

by Amber Hinds

Doesn't block access to uploads folder

All media files can still be accessed via direct paths.

by zangetsu1

Pefect

Does exactly what’s expected.

Password Protect Staging Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WP BASIC Auth or Password Protect Staging more popular?
WP BASIC Auth has 4.0K+ active installations while Password Protect Staging has 80. WP BASIC Auth is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — WP BASIC Auth or Password Protect Staging?
WP BASIC Auth has a 3.6/5 rating from 7 reviews, while Password Protect Staging has a 5/5 rating from 2 reviews.
Are WP BASIC Auth and Password Protect Staging free?
WP BASIC Auth is free and Password Protect Staging is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — WP BASIC Auth or Password Protect Staging?
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?
WP BASIC Auth was last updated 3 years ago and Password Protect Staging was last updated 11 years ago.

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