JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs vs WP REST API Controller (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs
20K+ active installs
Free
WP REST API Controller
9.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs has a higher user rating (4.4/5 from 73 reviews) and leads in active installations (20K+ vs 9.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs has accumulated 493K+ total downloads while WP REST API Controller has 184K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs | WP REST API Controller | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | ◄ | 4.3/5 |
| Total Reviews | 73 | ◄ | 12 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 9.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 493K+ | ◄ | 184K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 3 years ago |
| First Released | 2019 | 2016 | |
| Age | 7 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.0.1+ | 4.7+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.3.0 | 2.1.2 |
Rating Breakdown
JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs
WP REST API Controller
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs averaged approximately 143 daily downloads while WP REST API Controller averaged 19.
Recent Reviews
JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs Reviews
5 Years of Excellence – Professionals You Can Truly Rely On!
After 5 years of using the paid version of this plugin, I must say I am beyond impressed. We use this plugin to secure our API and manage the access keys for our REST API, and for nearly the entire ti
Great Support
Great support from the MiniOrange team! Atul and Vidushi are very helpful and lightning fast to respond.
Great support.
Swapnil was very helpful in resolving my issue. I enjoyed the support received by the mini orange team.
WP REST API Controller Reviews
taxonomies not saving
taxonomies not saving – no response from support This topic was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by meirk.
It is not removed from the plugin.
It is not removed from the plugin.
Just great
This thing saved me a lot of time trying to expose Woocommerce product price directly in WordPress API, awesome!
More Rest Worth Comparing
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Access your site's data through an easy-to-use HTTP REST API. (Version 2)
Enable caching of the WordPress REST API and auto-flush caches upon wp-admin editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs or WP REST API Controller more popular?
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Are JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs and WP REST API Controller free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.