Wordfence Free VS Premium

If you’re running a WordPress website, you probably understand the importance of securing your site against cyber threats. With the ever-increasing number of attacks targeting WordPress websites, having a reliable security plugin is essential. Wordfence is one such popular security plugin that offers both a free and premium version. In this article, we’ll compare Wordfence free vs premium to help you make an informed decision on which one is right for you.

But before we jump into comparing the two, let’s take a look at what Wordfence is:

What is Wordfence?

Wordfence is a popular security plugin for websites that use WordPress, which is one of the most widely used content management systems (CMS) for building websites. Developed by Defiant Inc., Wordfence provides various security features to help protect WordPress websites from hackers, malware, and other online threats.

These varied and useful features include:

1. Firewall: Wordfence’s firewall is a crucial component of its security suite. It operates at the application level, meaning it can inspect and filter HTTP traffic before it even reaches the WordPress installation. The firewall employs a combination of heuristics, signatures, and IP reputation to identify and block malicious requests. It’s capable of defending against a wide range of attacks, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
2. Malware Scanner: The malware scanner is designed to proactively detect any malicious code or suspicious files present in the WordPress installation. It scans not only the WordPress core files but also themes and plugins for any signs of compromise. The scanner uses a combination of signature-based detection and heuristic analysis to identify malware, backdoors, shell scripts, and other security threats. It also provides detailed reports and recommendations for remediation.
3. Security Alerts: Wordfence sends real-time alerts to administrators whenever it detects potential security issues or suspicious activities on the website. These alerts can be delivered via email or through the Wordfence dashboard. Examples of security alerts include failed login attempts, file modifications, unauthorized access attempts, and malware detections. Administrators can configure the alert settings to receive notifications based on their preferences.
4. Login Security: Wordfence offers several features to enhance the security of the login process. This includes two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to verify their identity using a second factor, such as a one-time code sent to their mobile device. Additionally, Wordfence allows administrators to enforce strong password policies, implement login rate limiting to prevent brute-force attacks, and block IP addresses that exhibit suspicious login behavior.
5. Security Hardening: Wordfence provides various options for hardening the security of the WordPress installation. This includes disabling XML-RPC, which can be exploited by attackers for various types of attacks, such as brute-force amplification attacks. Wordfence also offers protection against common vulnerabilities like directory traversal, cross-site scripting (XSS), and remote file inclusion (RFI). Administrators can enable these security hardening features with just a few clicks from the Wordfence settings.

Know everything you need to know about Wordfence? Excellent! Let’s take a look at what Wordfence free offers, then the premium version, before comparing them together.

Wordfence Free: A Solid Security Plugin

Wordfence free is a powerful security plugin that provides essential features to protect your WordPress site. It includes a malware scanner, a firewall, and features like two-factor authentication, login protection, and password management for users. With its comprehensive set of security tools, Wordfence free can help safeguard your website from various cyber threats.

However, it’s important to note that Wordfence free has its limitations. While it does a reasonable job of protecting your site, it falls short in a few areas compared to its premium counterpart.

Malware Scanner: Basic Protection

The malware scanner in Wordfence free is capable of detecting most common malware. It scans your website’s files and database for known malware signatures, alerting you if any malicious code is found. The scanner also provides real-time updates to keep up with the latest threats.

Firewall: Basic Protection Against Attacks

Wordfence free includes a firewall that protects your website from brute force attacks, bad bots, SQL injection attacks, cross-site scripting attacks, and more. It filters out bad traffic, preventing hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities on your site.

Vulnerability Detection: Stay Up-to-Date

The vulnerability detection feature in Wordfence free scans your WordPress installation for outdated plugins and themes. It alerts you to any vulnerabilities found, allowing you to take immediate action and update the affected plugins or themes.

Two-Factor Authentication: Secure Login Process

Wordfence free offers two-factor authentication, adding an extra layer of security to your login process. This feature requires users to provide a second form of authentication, such as a verification code sent to their mobile device, in addition to their username and password.

Wordfence Premium: Enhancing Your Website’s Security

While Wordfence free provides a solid level of security, the premium version offers additional features and improvements that can further enhance your website’s protection. Let’s take a closer look at what Wordfence premium has to offer.

Real-Time Updates: Keeping You Ahead

One of the significant advantages of Wordfence premium is real-time updates. The premium version receives updates to its firewall and malware scanner signatures in real-time, offering better protection against the latest threats. This means you’ll be better equipped to defend your website against zero-day exploits and emerging malware.

Premium Scan Signatures: Improved Detection

Wordfence premium introduces premium scan signatures, which enhance the malware scanner’s ability to detect malware in premium themes and plugins. While the free version may struggle to detect all malware, the premium scanner has a higher success rate. This can be particularly important if your website heavily relies on premium themes or plugins.

Real-Time IP Blocklist: Immediate Protection

With Wordfence premium, you gain access to real-time updates to the IP blocklist. This means that if another website on the Wordfence network detects and blocks an IP address due to suspicious activity, Wordfence premium will immediately apply the block to your website as well. This feature helps protect your site from known bad actors in real-time.

Geoblocking: Restrict Access by Country

Wordfence premium offers geoblocking functionality, allowing you to block access to your website based on the visitor’s country. While geoblocking can be a controversial feature, it can be useful in certain situations. However, it’s important to consider potential downsides, such as blocking legitimate visitors or false positives due to dynamic IP ranges.

Premium Support: Priority Assistance

As a Wordfence premium user, you’ll receive priority support from the Wordfence team. This means that if you encounter any issues or have questions, you’ll have access to dedicated support to help resolve them. This can be especially valuable if you rely heavily on your website for business or if you’re not confident in troubleshooting technical problems yourself.

Pricing

it’s all good and well telling you that Wordfence premium offers so many great features that are going to help and boost your website’s security, but all of that means nothing without knowing how much it costs. Wordfence premium costs $119 per year. Whilst this might seem like a lot, the amount of websites you can add to it helps to rationalize the price tag, as it becomes cheaper per website. Take a look at the information below, which highlights the price differences. It also shows two more plans, Wordfence Care and Wordfence Response. These two plans offer the same features as Wordfence premium, but expand on it by offering hands-on dedicated support.

Wordfence Free vs Premium: Which One to Choose?

Now that we’ve explored the features of both Wordfence free and premium, let’s discuss which version might be the right choice for you.

If you’re looking for a reliable security plugin that provides essential protection for your WordPress site, Wordfence free works perfectly. It offers a comprehensive set of features, including a malware scanner, firewall, and two-factor authentication, all at no cost. It’s an excellent choice for website owners who are on a tight budget or have basic security needs.

However, if you’re serious about your website’s security and want additional peace of mind, upgrading to Wordfence premium is worth considering. The real-time updates, premium scan signatures, and immediate IP blocklist protection can provide a significant security boost. Additionally, the priority support offered by Wordfence premium ensures that you’ll have expert assistance when you need it most.

Conclusion

When it comes to securing your WordPress website, having a reliable security plugin is crucial. While Wordfence free provides essential protection, upgrading to Wordfence premium offers additional features and enhancements. Now is the time to take the step towards protecting your website and ensuring its long-term success.