Head-to-head · October 2026
Ultimate Member vs Vanilla Forums
Ultimate Member comes out ahead, winning 8 of 8 head-to-head checks against Vanilla Forums.
Ultimate Member
The ultimate user profile & membership plugin for WordPress. The plugin makes it a breeze for users to…
| Metric | Ultimate Member | Vanilla Forums |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 200K+ | 100+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 228.8K | 108 |
| Download trend | +79.6% | 0% |
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 2.8/5 |
| Reviews | 1,445 | 17 |
| Health score | 88/100 | 28/100 |
| Last updated | 2 weeks ago | 6 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.3 | WP 5.3.26 |
| Support resolved | 63% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.0+ | Any |
| First released | Jan 2015 | Feb 2011 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Ultimate MemberVanilla Forums
Choose Ultimate Member if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 200K+ active sites
- Actively developed — last update 2 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 79.6% vs the previous 30 days
Choose Vanilla Forums if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- Mixed reviews — 2.8/5 from 17 ratings
- No update in 6 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.3 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: community
FAQ
Ultimate Member vs Vanilla Forums: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 16, 2026
Which is better, Ultimate Member or Vanilla Forums?
Ultimate Member comes out ahead, winning 8 of 8 head-to-head checks against Vanilla Forums. Choose Ultimate Member if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Ultimate Member more popular than Vanilla Forums?
Ultimate Member is the more popular of the two with 200K+ active installs, compared with 100+ for Vanilla Forums.
Can I use Ultimate Member and Vanilla Forums together?
Both plugins cover community, 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 Ultimate Member and Vanilla Forums 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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