User Role Editor vs Username Changer (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, User Role Editor has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 287 reviews) and leads in active installations (700K+ vs 40K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. User Role Editor has accumulated 21M+ total downloads while Username Changer has 464K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | User Role Editor | Username Changer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | |
| Total Reviews | 287 | ◄ | 70 |
| Active Installs | 700K+ | ◄ | 40K+ |
| Total Downloads | 21M+ | ◄ | 464K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Age | 16 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.4+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.3+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.64.6 | 3.2.3 |
Rating Breakdown
User Role Editor
Username Changer
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, User Role Editor averaged approximately 2,187 daily downloads while Username Changer averaged 129.
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
Username Changer Reviews
Blocked access to wp-admin
This plugin completely blocked access to wp-admin after changing a username. The wp-admin login page now just goes to a blank white page. I had to restore a backup on my site in order to fix it. I
Worked great
I recently set up OpenID on one of my WordPress sites, and needed to update the usernames to a different ID to coincide with single sign-on authentication. Installed this plugin, and it worked, witho
Easy and working
Thanks for this plugin, This is easy and works for me
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is User Role Editor or Username Changer more popular?
Which has better ratings — User Role Editor or Username Changer?
Are User Role Editor and Username Changer free?
Which plugin has better support — User Role Editor or Username Changer?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.