Defender vs Security by CleanTalk
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
Defender leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #521, ahead of Security by CleanTalk at #883. Over the last 7 days Defender climbed 3 places and Security by CleanTalk climbed 2 places. Defender has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 80K+ active installs against 40K+ for Security by CleanTalk. Downloads this week: Security by CleanTalk 27,804 and Defender 4,990. Ratings: Defender 4.8★ from 334 and Security by CleanTalk 4.8★ from 397 reviews.
| Metric | Defender | Security by CleanTalk |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #521 ▲ 3 | #883 ▲ 2 |
| Active installs | 80K+ | 40K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 4,990 | 27,804 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (334) | 4.8★ (397) |
| Last updated | Sep 29, 2026 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Current version | 6.3.0 | 2.191 |
| Best rank on record | #515 | #882 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jun 2017 | Aug 2016 |
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
More comparisons
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- Defender vs Security Optimizer
- Defender vs All-In-One Security (AIOS)
- Defender vs Limit Login Attempts Reloaded
- Defender vs NinjaFirewall (WP Edition)
- Security by CleanTalk vs Wordfence Security
- Security by CleanTalk vs NinjaFirewall (WP Edition)
- Security by CleanTalk vs Sucuri Security - Auditing, Malware Scanner and Hardening
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Defender or Security by CleanTalk?
By active installs, Defender: 80K+ sites run it against 40K+ for Security by CleanTalk, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 30, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Defender or Security by CleanTalk?
Defender, at #521 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Security by CleanTalk at #883. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Defender or Security by CleanTalk 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.