Protecting your WordPress website isn’t just a technical task; it’s a critical part of building trust with your audience. A hacked site can lead to data loss, a damaged brand reputation, and lost revenue. While you should always start with fast and secure WordPress hosting, a high-quality security plugin is your first line of defense.
The WordPress security landscape is confusing. Some plugins are firewalls (WAFs), some are malware scanners, and others are hardening tools. Which one do you actually need?
In this article, we’ve curated a list of the 9 best WordPress security plugins for 2025, broken down by category, to help you make an expert choice and lock down your website.
Part 1: All-in-One Security Suites (Best for Most Users)
These plugins offer the best all-around protection, typically including a firewall, malware scanner, and hardening features in one package.
1. Wordfence Security
Best For: All users, from beginners to pros, who want the most popular and comprehensive all-in-one security solution.
With over 5 million active installations, Wordfence is the most popular security plugin in the WordPress ecosystem. It provides a complete solution, including a robust malware scanner that checks core files, themes, and plugins, as well as an endpoint Web Application Firewall (WAF).
Key Features:
- Endpoint Firewall (WAF): Blocks malicious traffic before it hits your site. The free version’s rules are delayed by 30 days; Premium is real-time.
- Malware Scanner: Scans for malware, backdoors, SEO spam, and malicious redirects.
- Login Security: Includes two-factor authentication (2FA), reCAPTCHA, and brute-force protection.
- Live Traffic Monitoring: See who is visiting your site and what they are trying to do in real-time.
Pricing: A powerful free version is available. Wordfence Premium starts at $119/year for one site.
2. Sucuri Security
Best For: Business owners and bloggers who want a premium, hands-off cloud-based firewall.
Sucuri is a recognized authority in website security, and its plugin is a powerful tool. Its main strength, however, comes from its paid platform, which features a cloud-based Web Application Firewall (WAF).
Expert’s Take: Unlike Wordfence’s endpoint firewall, Sucuri’s WAF (called CloudProxy) is a cloud-based proxy. This means all your traffic is filtered before it even reaches your server, blocking malicious requests and even speeding up your site with its built-in CDN. This is generally considered a more robust (and faster) solution than an endpoint WAF.
Key Features:
- Cloud-Based WAF (Premium): Blocks attacks, DDoS, and bad bots in the cloud.
- CDN (Premium): The firewall service includes a content delivery network to speed up your global load times.
- Security Activity Auditing (Free): Logs all security-related events on your site.
- File Integrity Monitoring (Free): Checks your core files for changes.
- Post-Hack Security (Free): Provides a checklist of steps to take after an attack.
Pricing: The basic plugin is free. The full Sucuri Platform (including the WAF) starts at $199.99/year.
3. Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security)
Best For: Users who want a user-friendly, feature-rich plugin that makes security hardening simple.
This plugin was one of the most popular as “iThemes Security” and has been rebranded to Solid Security. It focuses on “fixing common WordPress security issues” with a user-friendly, checklist-style approach.
Expert’s Take: Solid Security’s strength is its simplicity. It guides you through “hardening” your site by, for example, changing login URLs, disabling the file editor, and enforcing strong passwords. The Pro version now includes 2FA, passwordless login, and real-time file integrity monitoring.
Key Features:
- Security Hardening: A user-friendly checklist to lock down common WordPress vulnerabilities.
- Two-Factor Authentication (Pro): Add a critical layer of login security.
- File Change Detection (Pro): Alerts you if any files in your WordPress installation are changed.
- Brute Force Protection: Automatically bans users who try to guess your password.
Pricing: A free version is available. Solid Security Pro starts at $99/year.
Part 2: Premium Malware Removal Services
These plugins are less about prevention and more about curing an infected site.
4. Malcare
Best For: Site owners who believe they are already hacked or want the best-in-class deep scanner that doesn’t slow down their site.
Malcare is a premium-only malware detection and removal service. Its key differentiator is that its scanner runs on Malcare’s own servers, not yours.
Expert’s Take: This off-site scanning is a significant advantage. Scanners like Wordfence run on your server, which can use a lot of resources and temporarily slow your site down. Malcare’s scanner performs deep checks for complex malware without any performance impact. Its “one-click” auto-clean feature is one of the most reliable in the industry.
Key Features:
- Off-Site Scanning: Scans your site daily without using your server resources.
- One-Click Malware Removal: Automatically cleans hacked files with high accuracy.
- Built-in WAF: Includes a basic firewall for preventative protection.
- Centralized Dashboard: Manage the security for all your sites from one location.
Pricing: Malcare Basic starts at $149/year for one site.
Part 3: Top-Tier Free Security Plugins
These plugins offer excellent protection at no cost, perfect for those on a budget.
5. All in One WP Security & Firewall
Best For: Beginners who want the most comprehensive free security plugin with a user-friendly interface.
All in One WP Security (AIOWPS) is one of the highest-rated free security plugins. It excels at making security easy to understand for non-techies. It features a “security grading” system that shows you how well your site is protected and a checklist of actions you can take to improve your score.
Key Features:
- Security Points System: A “grading” system that makes security hardening easy to understand.
- User Account Security: Enforces strong passwords, logs out idle users, and monitors for suspicious login attempts.
- Firewall & Brute Force Protection: Includes a .htaccess-level firewall and login lockdown features.
- Completely Free: All features are available for free, with no premium version.
Pricing: Completely Free.
6. WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner
Best For: Developers and DIY users who want to know about specific vulnerabilities in their plugins and themes.
WPScan is different. It’s not an active firewall. It’s a pure scanner that uses a massive, constantly updated database of known WordPress vulnerabilities (the database is funded by Automattic).
Expert’s Take: This is a “must-have” tool for any security-conscious developer. It will scan your site and tell you, “You are using version 1.2.3 of X plugin, which has a known SQL injection vulnerability.” This allows you to be proactive and update plugins before they are exploited.
Key Features:
- Vulnerability Database: Checks your installed plugins, themes, and core files against a database of over 21,000 known vulnerabilities.
- Daily Scans: Automatically scans your site and emails you if a new vulnerability is found.
Pricing: Completely Free for most users (includes a daily API limit).
Part 4: Integrated Security Suites
These plugins are part of a larger “all-in-one” suite of tools from a major developer.
7. Jetpack Security
Best For: Users who want an “all-in-one” solution for security, backups, and performance from the makers of WordPress.com.
Jetpack is a powerful, multi-featured plugin from Automattic. The old VaultPress plugin is now fully integrated into Jetpack as Jetpack Backup. The Jetpack Security plan bundles this best-in-class backup with malware scanning and anti-spam.
Expert’s Take: The main reason to choose Jetpack is for its backup solution, which is arguably the best real-time, off-site backup available for WordPress. The security features, like automated malware scanning and brute-force protection, are excellent complements.
Key Features:
- Jetpack Backup (formerly VaultPress): Real-time, off-site backups of your entire site.
- Malware Scanning: Automated daily and on-demand scans.
- Brute Force Attack Protection (Free): Blocks malicious login attempts.
- Anti-Spam: Automatically filters spam from comments and forms (powered by Akismet).
Pricing: Basic brute-force protection is free. The Jetpack Security plan, which includes backups and malware scanning, starts at $10.95/month (billed annually).
8. Defender Pro
Best For: Freelancers and agencies who are already part of the WPMU DEV ecosystem.
Defender Pro is the premium security plugin from WPMU DEV. Like Wordfence and Solid Security, it’s an all-in-one suite that offers a WAF, malware scanning, 2FA, and brute-force protection.
Key Features:
- Security Hardening: One-click hardening recommendations.
- Malware Scanning: Scans for suspicious code and provides vulnerability reports.
- WAF & Brute Force Protection: Includes a firewall and login protection.
- Audit Logging: Tracks all user activity on the site.
Pricing: A limited free version is available. Defender Pro is included in the WPMU DEV membership, which starts at $19/month (Pro plan) and includes all their plugins.
9. SecuPress
Best For: Users who want a beautifully designed, user-friendly plugin with a strong focus on prevention.
SecuPress is a powerful freemium plugin that has gained popularity for its excellent user interface. It makes security simple. The plugin performs a 35-point security check and presents the results in a clean, easy-to-understand report.
Expert’s Take: SecuPress is a great all-around competitor to Wordfence and Solid Security. Its Pro version is particularly strong at blocking bad bots, includes a robust firewall, and can scan your site for malware. It’s a fantastic, modern option.
Key Features:
- Security Report: Scans your site and provides a clear grade and action items.
- Anti-Brute Force Login: Protects your login page.
- Firewall (Pro): Includes a firewall to block malicious requests.
- Malware Scanner (Pro): Scans your files for malicious code.
- User & Login Protection: Manages user roles, 2FA, and login attempts.
Pricing: A free version is available. SecuPress Pro starts at $99/year for one site.
Conclusion: Which Security Plugin Is Right for You?
There is no single “best” plugin, only the one that’s best for your needs.
- For the Best All-Around Protection: Wordfence is the industry standard for a reason. It’s a complete, powerful, and reliable solution.
- For the Best Performance & WAF: Sucuri’s paid platform is the best choice. Its cloud-based WAF blocks threats before they hit your server, which is technically superior and faster.
- For the Best Free Plugin: All in One WP Security provides the most comprehensive features and user-friendly interface at no cost.
- If You Are Already Hacked: Don’t mess around with a preventative plugin. Get Malcare for its powerful, server-friendly scanner and one-click removal tool.
No plugin is a substitute for good security hygiene. Always use strong, unique passwords, keep your themes and plugins updated, and choose a quality host.
