User Role Editor vs User Access Shortcodes (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
User Access Shortcodes
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, User Access Shortcodes has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 13 reviews) while User Role Editor leads in active installations (700K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. User Role Editor has accumulated 21M+ total downloads while User Access Shortcodes has 23K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | User Role Editor | User Access Shortcodes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 287 | ◄ | 13 |
| Active Installs | 700K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 21M+ | ◄ | 23K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ► | 2 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2014 | |
| Age | 16 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.4+ | 3.6+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.3+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.64.6 | 2.3 |
Rating Breakdown
User Role Editor
User Access Shortcodes
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, User Role Editor averaged approximately 2,093 daily downloads while User Access Shortcodes averaged 4.
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
User Access Shortcodes Reviews
Simple and Obvious
This plugin is great. The only thing I’m surprised by is that this sort of functionality wasn’t built into WordPress. Thanks for the simple, clean plugin!
No fluff, all functionality
Just what I needed. Non-logged-in visitors: you can’t see this. That’s all. As I often say, sometimes you are just in dire need of a simple and to the point plugin.
Useful Plugin
Thanks for created this plugin
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is User Role Editor or User Access Shortcodes more popular?
Which has better ratings — User Role Editor or User Access Shortcodes?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.