WP BASIC Auth vs MW Auth (2026)

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

WP BASIC Auth

WP BASIC Auth

3.6(7)

4.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 years ago
View WP BASIC Auth
VS
MW Auth

MW Auth

5(2)

40 active installs

Free

Updated 11 years ago
View MW Auth

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, MW Auth has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while WP BASIC Auth leads in active installations (4.0K+ vs 40). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP BASIC Auth has accumulated 123K+ total downloads while MW Auth has 2.7K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
3.6/5WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth5/5
Total Reviews
7WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth2
Active Installs
4.0K+WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth40
Total Downloads
123K+WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth2.7K+
Support Resolution
N/AWP BASIC Auth
MW AuthN/A
Last Updated
3 years agoWP BASIC Auth
MW Auth11 years ago
First Released
2013WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth2013
Age
13 yearsWP BASIC Auth
MW Auth13 years
WP Requires
3.0+WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth3.4+
PHP Requires
false+WP BASIC Auth
MW Authfalse+
Business Model
FreeWP BASIC Auth
MW AuthFree
Latest Version
1.1.4WP BASIC Auth
MW Auth1.2

Rating Breakdown

WP BASIC Auth

3.6/5(7 reviews)
5
43%
4
29%
3
0%
2
0%
1
29%

MW Auth

5/5(2 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

WP BASIC Auth Reviews

by Rhand

Awesome Plugin

Great plugin. Instead of setting up ht authentication yourself you can use this plugin and it will allow you to use an existing user and password to authenticate instead of adding one on top or for cr

by Amber Hinds

Doesn't block access to uploads folder

All media files can still be accessed via direct paths.

by zangetsu1

Pefect

Does exactly what’s expected.

MW Auth Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WP BASIC Auth or MW Auth more popular?
WP BASIC Auth has 4.0K+ active installations while MW Auth has 40. WP BASIC Auth is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — WP BASIC Auth or MW Auth?
WP BASIC Auth has a 3.6/5 rating from 7 reviews, while MW Auth has a 5/5 rating from 2 reviews.
Are WP BASIC Auth and MW Auth free?
WP BASIC Auth is free and MW Auth is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — WP BASIC Auth or MW Auth?
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?
WP BASIC Auth was last updated 3 years ago and MW Auth was last updated 11 years ago.

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