User Role Editor vs Simple Membership Form Shortcode (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Simple Membership Form Shortcode
3.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Simple Membership Form Shortcode has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while User Role Editor leads in active installations (700K+ vs 3.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. User Role Editor has accumulated 21M+ total downloads while Simple Membership Form Shortcode has 38K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | User Role Editor | Simple Membership Form Shortcode | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 287 | ◄ | 2 |
| Active Installs | 700K+ | ◄ | 3.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 21M+ | ◄ | 38K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2014 | |
| Age | 16 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.4+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.3+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.64.6 | 1.1 |
Rating Breakdown
User Role Editor
Simple Membership Form Shortcode
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, User Role Editor averaged approximately 2,187 daily downloads while Simple Membership Form Shortcode averaged 7.
Recent Reviews
User Role Editor Reviews
Simple and works nicely
This plugin is working well. Thank you for the developer who put lot of time into it. Very nice, lightest and most simple.
Worked great for my site
I’m a DIY self learner, and had a great experience with URE. It has vast capabilities and is organized to make it easy to navigate and apply so many customizations. Very intuitive. On the one occasion
Wont save capabilities for custom role
I hate giving bad reviews as I know how much work goes into these plugins, often by one person. But we have wasted so much time and lost orders because of a known bug. I can see that others have rep
Simple Membership Form Shortcode Reviews
Works just fine
Thanks, this little plugin works just fine, no problems at all.
Great Plugin, Thanks!
Works as advertised.
More Access Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as User Role Editor and Simple Membership Form Shortcode
The best WordPress membership and user role editor plugin. User Roles & Capabilities editor helps you restrict content in just a few clicks.
Disable Dashboard access for users of a specific role or capability. Disallowed users are redirected to a chosen URL. Get set up in seconds.
With the "User Access Manager"-plugin you can manage the access to your posts, pages and files.
The permissions plugin for posts, pages, categories, tags and more. You can control permissions for roles, individual users, and even custom groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is User Role Editor or Simple Membership Form Shortcode more popular?
Which has better ratings — User Role Editor or Simple Membership Form Shortcode?
Are User Role Editor and Simple Membership Form Shortcode free?
Which plugin has better support — User Role Editor or Simple Membership Form Shortcode?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.