Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… vs Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…
40K+ active installs
Free
Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block…
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 1,032 reviews) and leads in active installations (40K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has accumulated 12M+ total downloads while Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… has 48K+. Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 100%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… | Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 1,032 | ◄ | 18 |
| Active Installs | 40K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 12M+ | ◄ | 48K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | 100% | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ► | 1 week ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2018 | |
| Age | 13 years | 8 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.7+ | 4.7+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 5.6.20+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 21.2.6 | 3.5.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…
Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… averaged approximately 1,389 daily downloads while Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… averaged 18.
Recent Reviews
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… Reviews
I hate this expensive, complex plugin
I’m so tired of visitors being locked out of client sites, clients being locked out. I have no idea how to get real support. It’s sold as a simple, robust security plugin, but it’s by no means simple;
Causes critical error
Installed it two times, and each time it completely blocked access to the WordPress dashboard. Had to use FTP to delete this plugin.
Solid Security Plugin with Some Hidden Pitfalls
I’m a web developer and I like Shield Security. It’s solid and offers strong protection. That said, after following their advice to improve my security grade, I couldn’t edit the WordPress Customiz
Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… Reviews
Awesome Sauce!
Installs and configures very easy. Works like a champ! Love the way it’s broken down between the Armory and the Tower! Easy to monitor and see what’s happening or to look back at who’s banned and easi
Free version is excellent, Pro is not very good
The free version is very good. It is more fun than processing your server logs on command line. The Pro version is difficult to work with because it doesn’t have a search on the Tower. It also over wh
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… or Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… more popular?
Which has better ratings — Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… or Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block…?
Are Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… and Banhammer – Monitor Site Traffic, Block… free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.