WordPress Security Plugins Compared – Do We Have a Choice?

I think we all know that on the internet, we must be conscious of security. In this article we compare WordPress security plugins that help protect websites from hackers. You cannot just rely on your WordPress hosting provider.

A security breach can delete content from your website, steal data belonging to customers, expose businesses and customers and distribute malware to site visitors. It takes a lot of time and money to fix a hacked WordPress site.

But where to start?

Over the years I have used three different security plugins. Sometimes I even used more than one, which is not a good idea. The first one I used was “All in One WP Security and Firewall” from Tips and Tricks HQ. I was using their eCommerce plugins at the time, so I guess it made sense.

Eventually I felt like I needed a more robust solution. I decided to use Jetpack’s Security option, since I was already using some of the free features of JetPack. I was also looking for a backup solution, so I got their package deal.

Once I started running multiple sites, however, I found their per site pricing model daunting.

So I moved to iThemes Security Pro, which is the plugin I am using today. It’s pricing model was a little more multi-site friendly.

All in One WP Security Firewall

This security plugin from Tips and Tricks HQ is ideal for small eCommerce websites. It scans malicious patterns and allows you to blacklist suspicious IP addresses manually. It has a website-level firewall.

You can enforce the more robust password by using the password strength tool of this security plugin.

At the time of this article All in One WP Security Firewall is FREE.

JetPack Security

With over 5 million active installs, Jetpack stands on top of the list. It is an all-in-one solution plugin and can easily scan your websites for vulnerabilities. It saves every change and edit you make to your website. It has decentralized malware scanning to protect your website from security threats.

And free version of the plugin protects the site from brute force attacks.

It saves your time by updating all the website plugins automatically and also informs you whether you have the latest version of WordPress or not. The plugin will also send you email alerts if the website is down.

 

At the time of this article the price for the security package for one site is $149 a year, a 50% discount from their normal prices of $299.

iThemes Security Pro

The iThemes Security Pro was developed by the team that created the famous BackupBuddy plugin and many other great plugins and themes. All these tools provide protection and security with an easy-to-use interface. 

iThemes Security Pro offers two-factor authentication for extra security and 404 detections and it is capable of limiting login attempts.

The plugin will notify you about any malicious file updates on your website by sending email alerts. It also protects other plugins and themes of your site.  iThemes Security Pro uses Sucuri’s site check malware scanner.

At the time of this article iThemes Security Pro is $80 a year for one site.  I am paying $127 for 10 sites. They run sales from time to time.

Side by Side Comparison

	iThemes Security Pro	Jetpack	All in One WP Security and Firewall
Cost	It does not have any free version. The pricing starts from 80$ per year.	Jetpack has a free version that includes basic security features for WordPress sites. The minimum security plan begins from 19.95$.	The All in One WP Security and FireWall has no paid version. It is entirely free to use.
Website FireWall and Malware Scanning	Includes a malware scan, and explians why a firewall is not included	It has decentralized malware scanning but lacks the website FireWall.	It has a website FireWall but no malware scanning.
Filtering Suspicious IP	It filters suspicious IPs.	Jetpack does IP filtering.	It also has the feature of IP filtering.
Two-Factor Authentication	It allows two-factor authentication.	It also authorizes two-factor authentication.	It does not have the feature of two-factor authentication.

Final Verdict

For me, with multiple eCommerce websites, iThemes Security Pro made the most sense. My last subscription was $127 for the year.

However, now that I have moved my websites to SiteGround, I need to research the security package that comes with their service for free. They do not recommend running two security plugins, but the SiteGround plugin may not have all the features that iThemes Security Pro has.

I have until July 2022 to decide…

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