Head-to-head · October 2026
reCAPTCHA Lite vs Shield Security
Shield Security comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against reCAPTCHA Lite.
reCAPTCHA Lite
The reCAPTCHA Lite protects your WordPress site from the bots, brute-force attacks, spam, and abuse. This…
Shield Security
Most security plugins hand you a dashboard full of alerts and expect you to know what to do next. Shield…
| Metric | reCAPTCHA Lite | Shield Security |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 90+ | 30K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 62 | 66.7K |
| Download trend | +10.7% | +686.1% |
| Rating | — | 4.8/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 1,038 |
| Health score | 25/100 | 94/100 |
| Last updated | 6 years ago | 2 weeks ago |
| Tested up to | WP 5.4.23 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | 5.6+ | 7.4+ |
| First released | Apr 2020 | Jul 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
reCAPTCHA LiteShield Security
Choose reCAPTCHA Lite if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (90+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 6 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.4 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Shield Security if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 30K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.8/5 from 1,038 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 2 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 686.1% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: bots
FAQ
reCAPTCHA Lite vs Shield Security: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 4, 2026
Which is better, reCAPTCHA Lite or Shield Security?
Shield Security comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against reCAPTCHA Lite. Choose Shield Security if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is reCAPTCHA Lite more popular than Shield Security?
Shield Security is the more popular of the two with 30K+ active installs, compared with 90+ for reCAPTCHA Lite.
Can I use reCAPTCHA Lite and Shield Security together?
Both plugins cover bots, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are reCAPTCHA Lite and Shield Security free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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