Kadence Security Basic vs Wordfence Security
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Wordfence Security leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #11, ahead of Kadence Security Basic at #87. Wordfence Security has the largest install base, roughly 7.1× the next: 5M+ active installs against 700K+ for Kadence Security Basic. Downloads this week: Wordfence Security 2,980,339 and Kadence Security Basic 18,663. Ratings: Kadence Security Basic 4.6★ from 3,990 and Wordfence Security 4.7★ from 5,000 reviews.
| Metric | Kadence Security Basic | Wordfence Security |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #87 ▬ | #11 ▬ |
| Active installs | 700K+ | 5M+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 18,663 | 2,980,339 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (3,990) | 4.7★ (5,000) |
| Last updated | Jul 27, 2026 | Sep 8, 2026 |
| Current version | 10.0.3 | 9.0.1 |
| Best rank on record | #85 | #11 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 50 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2010 | Apr 2012 |
| Sites detected by our detector | 4 | 23 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
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- Wordfence Security vs Sucuri Security - Auditing, Malware Scanner and Hardening
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- Wordfence Security vs Jetpack Protect
- Wordfence Security vs MalCare WordPress Security Plugin - Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Kadence Security Basic or Wordfence Security?
By active installs, Wordfence Security: 5M+ sites run it against 700K+ for Kadence Security Basic, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Kadence Security Basic or Wordfence Security?
Wordfence Security, at #11 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Kadence Security Basic at #87. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Kadence Security Basic or Wordfence Security alternatives to each other?
Yes. All of them are security plugins, so a site would normally run one of them. The figures above show which one more WordPress sites choose and how that has changed over time.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.