BBQ Firewall vs Shield Security
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
BBQ Firewall leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #346, ahead of Shield Security at #936. Over the last 7 days BBQ Firewall slipped 1 place and Shield Security climbed 5 places. BBQ Firewall has the largest install base, roughly 3.3× the next: 100K+ active installs against 30K+ for Shield Security. Downloads this week: Shield Security 15,589 and BBQ Firewall 3,237. Ratings: BBQ Firewall 4.9★ from 160 and Shield Security 4.8★ from 1,039 reviews.
| Metric | BBQ Firewall | Shield Security |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #346 ▼ 1 | #936 ▲ 5 |
| Active installs | 100K+ | 30K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 3,237 | 15,589 |
| Rating | 4.9★ (160) | 4.8★ (1,039) |
| Last updated | Aug 9, 2026 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Current version | 20260809 | 22.3.4 |
| Best rank on record | #342 | #921 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2010 | Jul 2013 |
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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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, BBQ Firewall or Shield Security?
By active installs, BBQ Firewall: 100K+ sites run it against 30K+ for Shield Security, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 31, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, BBQ Firewall or Shield Security?
BBQ Firewall, at #346 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Shield Security at #936. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are BBQ Firewall or Shield Security alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
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.