LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… vs Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming…
500K+ active installs
Free
Password Protected — Lock Entire Site…
300K+ active installs
Free + Premium
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… has a higher user rating (4.4/5 from 136 reviews) while LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… leads in active installations (500K+ vs 300K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… has accumulated 19M+ total downloads while Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… has 6.9M+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… | Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 860 | ◄ | 136 |
| Active Installs | 500K+ | ◄ | 300K+ |
| Total Downloads | 19M+ | ◄ | 6.9M+ |
| Support Resolution | 50% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 weeks ago | ◄ | 3 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Age | 16 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 4.6+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.1+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free + Premium | |
| Latest Version | 2.6.20 | 2.7.12 |
Rating Breakdown
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming…
Password Protected — Lock Entire Site…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… averaged approximately 1,064 daily downloads while Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… averaged 944.
Recent Reviews
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… Reviews
Not for the faint hearted or newbies
My isssue (which I’m currently waiting for help with)- is that it broke my Woocommerce/Divi Shop. The Maintenance Mode is still active on my Homepage even after deactivating Lightstart.I’m sure it wil
Installed Unwanted Plugins
The actual plugin I wanted to use worked fine but it installed two other plugins – an image optimization plugin and some other plugin called Otter. No prompts, notification or nothing. Very sketch.
Excellent Lightweight Easy to use
LightStart is a great addition to any WordPress site if you’re looking for a lightweight, reliable, and easy-to-use solution. It installs quickly, works smoothly without slowing down performance, and
Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… Reviews
Useless for me
I need a homepage public. I want to lock out everything else. This was the top result for this feature, but it is locked behind a paywall. Exclusion of a few pages should be included or at least the h
Premium version is worth it
easy to customize; support is fast
I appreciate the support
While it took a while to get the plugin working with my website, the support team was able to assist me through the more technical issues and it now works without a hitch!
More Maintenance Mode Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… and Password Protected — Lock Entire Site…
Great looking maintenance, coming soon & under construction pages. Put your site under maintenance in minutes.
Easy Drag & Drop Page Builder. A complete solution to create a WordPress Website, Custom Themes, Landing Pages, Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode Pages.
Beautiful Coming soon, Maintenance or Landing page on your website, packed with premium features for free.
Minimal Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode page! Create awesome Coming Soon Pages in seconds.
Restrict content based on login status, user roles, device type & more. Monetize your content with a paywall or members-only content.
Nifty Coming Soon & Maintenance Page creates awesome Coming Soon & Maintenance Pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… more popular?
Which has better ratings — LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Password Protected — Lock Entire Site…?
Are LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… and Password Protected — Lock Entire Site… free?
Which plugin has better support — LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Password Protected — Lock Entire Site…?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.