Simple User Avatar vs Controlled Admin Access (2026)

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

Simple User Avatar

Simple User Avatar

4.4(19)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Simple User Avatar
VS
Controlled Admin Access

Controlled Admin Access

4.8(44)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View Controlled Admin Access

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Controlled Admin Access has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 44 reviews) while Simple User Avatar leads in active installations (20K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple User Avatar has accumulated 219K+ total downloads while Controlled Admin Access has 218K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.4/5Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access4.8/5
Total Reviews
19Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access44
Active Installs
20K+Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access10K+
Total Downloads
219K+Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access218K+
Support Resolution
N/ASimple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access0%
Last Updated
1 month agoSimple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access3 months ago
First Released
2017Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access2015
Age
9 yearsSimple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access11 years
WP Requires
4.0+Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access4.0+
PHP Requires
7.3+Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access7.0+
Business Model
FreeSimple User Avatar
Controlled Admin AccessFree
Latest Version
4.8Simple User Avatar
Controlled Admin Access2.1.2

Rating Breakdown

Simple User Avatar

4.4/5(19 reviews)
5
84%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
16%

Controlled Admin Access

4.8/5(44 reviews)
5
91%
4
5%
3
2%
2
0%
1
2%

Recent Reviews

Simple User Avatar Reviews

by Generosus

Impressed! | Unequaled Performance and Support

If you’re looking for simplicity, performance, and support in a plugin, this one is it. It works “out of the box” and does exactly what it says. Support is phenomenal as well. Job well done. Tha

by naturohair

Simple

Simple and easy to use

by redgdk

As loged in

I only can upload as admin a avatar as registered user not

Controlled Admin Access Reviews

by bogeyman2007

Great Plugin

It’s a very great plugin. Thank you.

by pixluser

Perfect software

The software works perfectly. Something than can maybe be added is a way to log page view, of the admins we create. (Real time, or simply log events & display them onto a page), maybe with an email no

by jmsil

Excellent!

This is an extremely useful little plugin that not only makes it easier to provide admin access to outsiders but also to understand what actions they are taking and ensuring they don’t have access to

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple User Avatar or Controlled Admin Access more popular?
Simple User Avatar has 20K+ active installations while Controlled Admin Access has 10K+. Simple User Avatar is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple User Avatar or Controlled Admin Access?
Simple User Avatar has a 4.4/5 rating from 19 reviews, while Controlled Admin Access has a 4.8/5 rating from 44 reviews.
Are Simple User Avatar and Controlled Admin Access free?
Simple User Avatar is free and Controlled Admin Access is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple User Avatar or Controlled Admin Access?
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?
Simple User Avatar was last updated 1 month ago and Controlled Admin Access was last updated 3 months ago.

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