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Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… vs Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… (2026)

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

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…

4.7(4,847)

5.0M+ active installs

Free + Premium

Updated 3 months ago
View Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
VS
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…

Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…

4.8(1,032)

40K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 1,032 reviews) while Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… leads in active installations (5.0M+ vs 40K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has accumulated 407M+ total downloads while Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has 12M+. Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 85%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
►
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…4.8/5
Total Reviews
4,847Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
◄
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…1,032
Active Installs
5.0M+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
◄
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…40K+
Total Downloads
407M+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
◄
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…12M+
Support Resolution
85%Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
►
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…100%
Last Updated
3 months agoWordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
►
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…1 month ago
First Released
2012Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…2013
Age
14 yearsWordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…13 years
WP Requires
4.7+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…5.7+
PHP Requires
7.0+Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…7.4+
Business Model
Free + PremiumWordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…Free
Latest Version
8.1.4Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…21.2.6

Rating Breakdown

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware…

4.7/5(4,847 reviews)
5
90%
4
2%
3
1%
2
1%
1
5%

Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…

4.8/5(1,032 reviews)
5
94%
4
3%
3
1%
2
1%
1
2%

Recent Reviews

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… Reviews

by Alex Spataru

Helped my clients a lot

Thank you for creating and actively maintaining this plugin. I hope you keep improving the plugin, especially the free tier.

by hhenrytac

GREAT SUPPORT AND BEST-IN-CLASS

Wordfence is the best security tool I’ve found. Not only are the Vulnerability Database and the Thursday bug emails full of data that is both useful and timely, support is great. They are truly best-i

by hudsonhorta

Muito profissional e seguro

Está dando a segurança que precisamos para o site.

Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… Reviews

by sondrasneed

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;

by exoduss

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.

by Amanda

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… or Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… more popular?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has 5.0M+ active installations while Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has 40K+. Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… or Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has a 4.7/5 rating from 4,847 reviews, while Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has a 4.8/5 rating from 1,032 reviews.
Are Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… and Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… free?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… is free + premium and Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… or Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…?
As of April 2026, Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… has a 85% support resolution rate while Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has a 100% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware… was last updated 3 months ago and Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… was last updated 1 month ago.

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