User Roles and Capabilities vs Multiple Roles (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
User Roles and Capabilities
8.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, User Roles and Capabilities has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 21 reviews) and leads in active installations (8.0K+ vs 5.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. User Roles and Capabilities has accumulated 125K+ total downloads while Multiple Roles has 102K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | User Roles and Capabilities | Multiple Roles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.7/5 |
| Total Reviews | 21 | ◄ | 15 |
| Active Installs | 8.0K+ | ◄ | 5.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 125K+ | ◄ | 102K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 years ago | ► | 8 months ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2015 | |
| Age | 11 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.5+ | 3.1+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 5.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.2.6 | 1.3.7 |
Rating Breakdown
User Roles and Capabilities
Multiple Roles
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, User Roles and Capabilities averaged approximately 15 daily downloads while Multiple Roles averaged 50.
Recent Reviews
User Roles and Capabilities Reviews
The best so far.
There’s nothing like this out there. Recommended.
Nice and easy to use
I’ve tried many user role plugins…but this one is the easiest to use and straight forward…love it! Well done!
Save button is gone?
“Change roles and capabilities for user” in page, button is gone! Changes not saved 🙁
Multiple Roles Reviews
It is Simple and Does the Job
Not much to say, does exactly what is says
SIMPLE AND WORKS
Simple and to the point. Did exactly what I needed. This topic was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by multmediadesigns.
Elegant, simple .. great plugin
Elegant and simple .. a great plugin
More User Roles Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as User Roles and Capabilities and Multiple Roles
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PublishPress Capabilities is the access control plugin. You can manage user capabilities, permissions, user roles, admin menus and more.
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Easily assign different menus to pages, posts, user roles, devices, and custom URLs using advanced conditional menu visibility rules.
It hides the default role dropdown list and displays a list of role checkboxes to select multiple roles for a user.
Menu By User Roles allows you to control the visibility of menu items based on user roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is User Roles and Capabilities or Multiple Roles more popular?
Which has better ratings — User Roles and Capabilities or Multiple Roles?
Are User Roles and Capabilities and Multiple Roles free?
Which plugin has better support — User Roles and Capabilities or Multiple Roles?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.