Restricted Site Access vs Simple Restrict (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Restricted Site Access
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Simple Restrict has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 15 reviews) while Restricted Site Access leads in active installations (20K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Restricted Site Access has accumulated 1.1M+ total downloads while Simple Restrict has 33K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Restricted Site Access | Simple Restrict | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 62 | ◄ | 15 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.1M+ | ◄ | 33K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 months ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2009 | 2016 | |
| Age | 17 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.6+ | 3.4+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 7.6.1 | 1.2.8 |
Rating Breakdown
Restricted Site Access
Simple Restrict
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Restricted Site Access averaged approximately 469 daily downloads while Simple Restrict averaged 6.
Recent Reviews
Restricted Site Access Reviews
Simple, effective and without unnecessary frills
I was looking for a plugin to enable access to a site only for registered users. A work site for editors, authors and contributors to a magazine. A site that only users with an account should be able
Does the job
I just need to restrict my whole WordPress site to certain IPs without messing with htaccess, and this plugin works perfectly for that.
Great Plugin for Intranet/Extranet
I have activated the plugin as a replacement for a maintenance plugin on a WordPress instance that I use as an extranet. It does exactly what I was looking for. The settings are absolutely sufficient
Simple Restrict Reviews
Not for All Pages
This plugin cannot hide the content of pages created with template files.
OMG! AMAZING RESTRICTION
WOW! This is a crazy good plugin, don’t leave home without it. This plugin can be restricted pages more than other membership plugins can’t do… After I installed and set. The BuddyPress members page,
Awesome
I never review plugins – and I’ve got a pretty high bar for what’s acceptable in my book. This is an EXCELLENT plugin.
More Restrict Worth Comparing
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Restricted Site Access or Simple Restrict more popular?
Which has better ratings — Restricted Site Access or Simple Restrict?
Are Restricted Site Access and Simple Restrict free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.