Wordfence is one of the most well-known names in terms of security plugins for WordPress. It offers a fantastic free version that is capable of protecting a website from malware in the majority of cases. However, it does have some flaws, which raises the question of whether or not Wordfence premium will perform significantly better.
You have arrived at the right location if you are considering whether or not to pay for the premium version of Wordfence. We put the various versions of the security plugin through its paces by exposing them to various forms of malicious software, online attacks, and other threats. When it comes to Wordfence’s security, we have witnessed both what works and, more significantly, what does not work.
Wordfence’s free version triumphs over its paid premium counterpart in this head-to-head showdown. The only major advantage that Wordfence Premium has over the free version is an enhanced firewall. Wordfence performs a reasonable job of securing your website in any event, and you might as well use the free edition of the software as it does a good enough job. Installing MalCare on your website is the superior option in the event that you wish to improve its security. You pay the same amount but get significantly improved security for WordPress.
One of the most impressive free WordPress security plugins available is called Wordfence. A malware scanner, a firewall, and some level of automated malware cleaning are all included in this solution. Additionally, it provides users with login protection, password management, and two-factor authentication for added security.
Having said that, the protection offered by Wordfence is not perfect and does have certain flaws. People are curious about the level of improvement in security that comes with upgrading to premium, which is why they inquire if it is worthwhile. It does, but it isn’t considerably better than anything else.
A comparison of Wordfence’s free and premium versions in a nutshell
The malware scanner, the malware cleanup, and the WordPress firewall are the three main elements that must be present in an effective security plugin according to our standards.
As you can see, the free edition of Wordfence includes all three of these functions, but upgrading to the premium version grants access to real-time updates for the scanner and the firewall. Because they can be accomplished just as simply using a different plugin, the other premium features, such as geoblocking and reputation checks, do not offer a significant amount of value from the point of view of a security plugin.
As a result of this, we believe that the free edition of Wordfence is an excellent choice for a plugin, and that the premium version does not bring significantly more value than the free version.
MalCare, on the other hand, offers limitless malware removal requests in addition to all of the essential security capabilities that are included in Wordfence premium at the same annual membership fee.
A comparison of the free and premium versions of Wordfence’s features
Wordfence premium includes an in-depth discussion on how to incorporate real-time threat intelligence into your website. Nevertheless, what exactly does that imply?
A number of the components of the security system, such as the firewall and the scanner, are both capable of receiving real-time updates. Even though this sounds fantastic, it is essential to have a clear understanding of how the improvements will actually impact the feature.
Anti-malware software
During our testing of Wordfence’s malware scanner, we subjected the plugin to a large number of malicious files. Our test websites initially contained a significant amount of file-based malware in the core files, which Wordfence was able to simply identify and remove. After that, we gave the scanner another run while attempting to add redirect malware and Japanese keyword malware to the existing database. Only a portion of the virus was picked up by Wordfence’s scanners. In a similar vein, when we tried to scan premium themes and plugins for malware, Wordfence did not find any of it. The malware scanner is, on the whole, satisfactory, but by no means exceptional.
There are three key distinctions between the free and premium versions of Wordfence’s malware scanner:
1. Premium scan signatures
2. Real-time signature updates
3. Verification of the reputation
Let’s take these one at a time and examine them more closely.
Premium scan signatures
Wordfence’s dashboard indicates that the free scanner is operating at an efficiency level of sixty percent. In the premium edition, additional features such as premium scan signatures and reputation checks are included. In light of this, upgrading to Wordfence premium should, in theory at least, make it possible to identify malware in premium themes and plugins.
However, we did not observe that in any of our testing. Even though the updated scanner found a higher percentage of malware in premium themes and plugins than the free version did, it did not discover all of the malicious software. Even though we paid for the premium scanner, it was still unable to identify all of the database-based malware.
Real-time signature updates
In addition to that, the premium version promises to include malware signatures that are updated in real time. Signature-matching is the method that Wordfence uses to identify malicious software, and in order for you to grasp this, you need to be familiar with that method.
The code on your website is compared to a database of malware signatures, which is what “signature-matching” does. In the event that matches are found, the code will be marked as malicious. This technique has two flaws: first of all, malware is always changing since cybercriminals devise new and inventive ways to conceal it, and second of all, the Wordfence team needs to have seen the virus in order to add it to their database. Even if they are extremely productive, there is no chance that they have read all of the code that has ever been written. Because of this, the Wordfence scanner is likely going to overlook some malicious software. I am hoping that it is not on your website, but it must be someplace.
An effort is being made to lessen the impact of each of these problems by implementing real-time modifications to signatures. If the malware signature database is updated on a more regular basis, then it will be able to identify more forms of malware. Theoretically. Having said that, we came across a complaint that stated the free scanner receives updates thirty days after the premium scanner, which is a considerable amount of time in terms of WordPress security.
Verification of a reputation
In any event, this does not constitute a significant portion of the security measures taken by WordPress regarding reputation checks. Wordfence does a check to determine whether or not your website is included on three blacklists, which is something that you can easily check yourself. The more important thing is to make sure that the malware that most likely resulted in your website being included on blacklists in the first place is treated as a top priority. This is the aspect that is most crucial. In the following section on the removal of malware, we will go into more detail regarding this issue.
Verdict
When compared to Wordfence’s free version, Wordfence premium does not greatly improve the software’s identification of malware. The fundamental methodology is broken, which means that premium malware signatures, real-time signature updates, and reputation checks ultimately contribute very little to the effectiveness of the malware scanner. Because Wordfence relies on signature-matching to identify malicious software, it is inevitable that some malware will get past the scanner without being discovered. Eliminator of malware
There is no distinction between the free and premium versions of Wordfence’s malware cleanup. Both versions perform exactly the same functions. During our examinations, once we had completed scanning the website for malware, the scan findings presented us with two choices for auto-clean: delete all files that could be deleted, or repair all files that could be repaired.
We gave both approaches a shot; however, Wordfence cautioned us that there was a possibility that the cleaning may render our website inoperable. In any case, we had backups of our test sites, so we moved through with the project. The malware that was found by the scanner was easily removed by the automated solutions that were available. It should come as no surprise that the cleaning was powerless against the virus because it had not been discovered in the first place.
Wordfence is doing the right thing by warning users about the auto-clean settings in their account. For example, if a plugin or theme adds custom code, it can be mistakenly identified as malware, and the auto-clean option might then destroy it. That would undoubtedly result in the malfunctioning of a number of the site’s features. This is because the signature-matching malware detection technology that Wordfence utilises has fundamental flaws, which causes false positives.
Premium removal of malicious software
The auto-clean system is available in both the free and premium versions of the plugin. Wordfence premium users, on the other hand, have access to a service that will remove malware from their websites for an additional cost. Therefore, if you do find malware on your website and the free version is too unsettling to test out, then you may subscribe to the premium subscription and pay a one-time price for malware eradication. This option is available to you in the event that you find malware on your website.
This is actually the point where the slope begins to become pretty steep. In addition to the premium subscription, Wordfence charges an additional $490 for assistance in removing blacklists and clearing your system of malware. If you follow all of their post-hack steps to the letter, the cleanup is guaranteed for an entire year. However, this is the only condition under which this guarantee is valid. If your website becomes infected again within the first year after it has been cleaned, Wordfence will not charge you a second time unless you are to blame for the infection.
Verdict
Both the free and paid versions of the plugin offer exactly the same unconvincing automatic malware removal options, which are not likely to win users’ trust. The malware cleanup service that Wordfence offers is in addition to the premium subscription, and it costs an additional $490 per incident. Firewall
The firewall provided by Wordfence successfully blocked most of the major attacks. When referring to WordPress websites, the term “web application firewall” refers to a security measure that must be implemented to prevent attacks such as SQL injection attacks, cross-site scripting attacks, brute-force assaults, and others. In addition to preventing hackers from taking advantage of weaknesses on the website, the firewall also filters out malicious traffic to ensure that it does not overwhelm the website with inappropriate requests.
Both the free and paid versions of the Wordfence plugin offer a firewall that is capable of performing the aforementioned tasks to a satisfactory level. On the other hand, there are two important distinctions to be made between the two versions:
1. Premium rules
2. Blocklist that is always being updated in real time
The dashboard of the free version, which we installed first, made it quite evident that the programme is only 64% effective. If both of these factors had been present, the efficacy would have been 100 percent. However, what exactly do they mean?
Premium rules
Firewalls are filters that monitor the traffic that comes through your website; however, in order for them to function, they need rules. Only safe traffic is permitted to reach the website after being screened for danger by the firewall, which only allows legitimate users to access the site. Because dangers change over time, the regulations need to be updated so that they can stop the newly emerging risks.
As a result, Wordfence has significantly reduced the effectiveness of its free firewall by postponing rule updates.
Constant revisions to the blacklist in real time
A website can also be protected by a firewall by preventing traffic from malicious IP addresses from entering the site. Maintaining a blacklist of IP addresses is how it accomplishes this goal.
Through the use of global IP protection, firewalls are able to determine which IP addresses should be added to the blocklist. They are able to gather this information from all of the websites that are connected to their network due to the widespread deployment of firewalls on websites worldwide. For example, if a website located in a distant region of the world is attacked by an IP, the Wordfence firewall will discover that the IP is malicious and add it to the website’s blocklist in order to protect it from further attacks. After that, it updates the identical information on all of the other Wordfence firewalls that have been installed on all of the other websites. The firewall that is included with MalCare likewise operates in the same manner.
However, the most significant distinction between the free Wordfence firewall and the commercial version is that the latter features real-time updates while the former does not. It is quite clear that this is the best possible outcome. On the other hand, the free version is updated much later than the paid versions. We were not successful in determining the length of the delay in time; nevertheless, it might be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. During that time period, your website will be susceptible to assaults from the malicious IPs.
Verdict
The only significant distinction between the free and premium versions of Wordfence is the addition of a firewall. The fact that rule and blocklist updates come with a time lag is unsettling because it leaves the website open to attack from cybercriminals and other threats that are currently operational. The premium version is the superior choice, even if only considering this one specific scenario.
Authentication with two separate factors
Wordfence just recently made their two-factor authentication feature available to all users at no additional cost. There is no distinction between the free and premium versions of this product.
The functionality of the feature is excellent out of the box, and it is quite simple to configure so that a reCaptcha is displayed on the login page.
Verdict
The free and paid versions of the plugin offer the same functionality.
Identifying points of potential danger
The Wordfence scanner does a good job of identifying plugins and themes that are out of date and susceptible to vulnerabilities. Any vulnerabilities that are found are marked as critical threats, and it is imperative that they be addressed as quickly as possible. In point of fact, it will go a long way toward defending your website from dangers if you are able to update susceptible themes and plugins as soon as they are found.
Verdict
The free and paid versions of the plugin offer the same functionality.
Geoblocking
Only Wordfence premium subscribers have access to the geoblocking or country blocking feature. In spite of the fact that MalCare also provides this option, the security team here does not normally advise using geoblocking. This is due to the following two reasons:
• To begin, geoblocking is a method that excludes site users based on their nation of origin by utilising IP ranges. IP addresses are not always accurate, as they are dynamic and constantly changing, and they are not always reliable. Suppose you wanted to prevent visitors from one country but let those from a neighbouring country to access your website. Anyone who lives in close proximity to the boundary has a good risk of having their passage unintentionally restricted.
• Secondly, geoblocking can also prevent legitimate bots from operating. Even if not all bots are helpful, you should make sure that some bots, such as the ones used for uptime monitoring or Googlebot, may access your website at all times.
Wordfence makes it very easy for you to apply geoblocking from their dashboard, should you decide to go ahead and do so. In the event that this is not the case, you will either require a different plugin or the ability to alter the.htaccess file.
Verdict
Only available to paying customers, this feature can also be attained through other means.
Support
Wordfence premium subscribers have access to priority support, while free users are required to search the support forum for answers to their questions. The Wordfence staff does regular maintenance on the forum, ensuring that free users will not be abandoned to fend for themselves.
Verdict
This service is only available to premium customers; however, the support forum is an excellent choice for free users as well.
Pricing
You shouldn’t let the $99 price tag each year for Wordfence premium deter you from upgrading to that tier of service if you’re considering doing so. In point of fact, the pricing grows more reasonable as you add more sites to your portfolio. However, after conducting extensive tests, we discovered that the price tag is essentially for an improved version of the firewall, which is, candidly speaking, still worth it from the point of view of security.
Malware cleanup is the most important aspect of WordPress security since, let’s face it, security is only brought to the forefront when something terrible goes wrong. Because of this, Wordfence costs an outrageous amount of money. The annual subscription price of $490, in addition to the $490 per cleanup, is a little too much to take in. Malware will, of course, result in significantly increased expenses for you in the long term.
Installing MalCare is the one that will save you the most money. Wordfence gives you access to all of its features, including elimination of an infinite amount of malware, for a one-time fee of $99. The numbers speak for themselves.
Alternatives that are superior to Wordfence premium
After examining Wordfence premium on a feature-by-feature basis, it became quite clear that MalCare was the superior choice. Not only is the malware scanner several orders of magnitude better, but MalCare’s auto-clean eliminates malware in a manner similar to surgical removal in a matter of minutes. Because MalCare’s malware detection relies on more than just signature-matching alone, there is no need to worry about the site becoming inaccessible.
Every subscription to MalCare comes with unlimited malware removal performed by WordPress security professionals, and if you need assistance in any way, you can get in touch with support for assistance.
Conclusion
Wordfence free is an excellent security plugin, which is something we mention quite frequently because it bears emphasising. It includes all of the essential functions that are required of a WordPress security plugin, and the premium subscription adds additional functionality to those features. In point of fact, if we were to recommend a security plugin for websites that do not have a budget for protection, Wordfence would unquestionably be our first choice.
If, on the other hand, you are searching for a premium WordPress security plugin that will provide your website with an actual level of protection, then you should not go with Wordfence. MalCare has all of Wordfence’s essential security capabilities, but its implementation of those functions is significantly more robust. Your website will be better protected with MalCare, and it will also make managing your website much simpler for you.
FAQs
What distinguishes the premium version of Wordfence from the free version?
There are six key distinctions to be made between the free and premium versions of Wordfence, all of which revolve around the rate at which the free version receives feature upgrades.
• Upgrades to the firewall in real time
• A real-time blacklist of IP addresses
• Real-time scanner updates
• Geoblocking
• Verification of one’s good name
• Premium support
The premium subscription does not include malware removal services or aid with removing blocklists; these must be purchased individually.
What exactly does “Wordfence premium” entail?
Wordfence premium is a subscription service that allows users to access premium features of the WordPress security plugin that Wordfence develops.
How much does it cost to upgrade to Wordfence premium?
The premium version of Wordfence begins at $99 per site per year, with the price decreasing as the number of sites increases.
Is it worthwhile to pay for Wordfence premium?
No, the premium edition of Wordfence does not offer substantial additional benefits over the free version, which is already an adequate security plugin. The only significant distinction is that the premium plugin receives updates in near real-time, but the free version is behind in receiving those upgrades. Despite this, an upgrade is not warranted in any way.
Is the free version of Wordfence sufficient?
There is no doubt that Wordfence free is an excellent and free security plugin. However, it does not offer full protection for websites that use WordPress. We propose that websites that do not have a budget for security use the free version of Wordfence, but they should alter their expectations accordingly. It is unquestionably superior to the other options.
