RESTless vs JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs
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
JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs ranks #1,469 on the popular list; RESTless is outside the top 500 we capture daily. JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs has the largest install base, roughly 1000× the next: 10K+ active installs against 10+ for RESTless. Downloads this week: JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs 1,830 and RESTless 15.
| Metric | RESTless | JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | outside top 500 | #1,469 ▼ 17 |
| Active installs | 10+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 15 | 1,830 |
| Rating | no ratings | 4.4★ (74) |
| Last updated | Jun 29, 2018 | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0 | 5.0.0 |
| Best rank on record | #30,363 | #1,386 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jun 2018 | May 2019 |
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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- JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs vs Disable WP REST API
- JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs vs Make Connector
- JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs vs WooCommerce Legacy REST API
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, RESTless or JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs?
By active installs, JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs: 10K+ sites run it against 10+ for RESTless, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 19, 2026.
Are RESTless or JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs 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.