# API Bearer Auth

> API Bearer Auth has 300+ active installs, a 5/5 rating from 6 reviews and 198 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 53/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Use with caution.** API Bearer Auth works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 300+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 10 months ago, and scores 53/100 on our health check.

**Access and refresh tokens based authentication plugin for the REST API.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 300+
- **Total downloads:** 24,523
- **Downloads (30 days):** 198 (-3.9% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 5/5 from 6 reviews
- **Health score:** 53/100 (Fair)
- **Version:** 20200916
- **Last updated:** Dec 8, 2025
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 6.9.9
- **Requires:** WordPress 4.6+, PHP 5.4.0+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** michielve (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/michielve/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/api-bearer-auth/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [api](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/api/) | #43 | 496 |
| [authentication](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/authentication/) | #41 | 264 |
| [jwt](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/jwt/) | #5 | 27 |
| [jwt-tokens](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/jwt-tokens/) | #1 | 1 |
| [rest-api](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/rest-api/) | #35 | 357 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| api | #36 | 10,000 |
| authentication | >100 | 4,351 |
| jwt | #15 | 284 |
| jwt-tokens | #7 | 220 |
| rest-api | #55 | 7,538 |

## Version adoption

- 20200916: 100%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [WP Consent API](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-consent-api/) | 200K+ | 5/5 (2) | Sep 15, 2026 | 86/100 |
| 2 | [Disable REST API](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/disable-json-api/) | 80K+ | 4.8/5 (38) | Sep 14, 2023 | 48/100 |
| 3 | [Mailgun for WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/mailgun/) | 80K+ | 3.8/5 (49) | Sep 25, 2026 | 86/100 |
| 4 | [Make Connector](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/integromat-connector/) | 70K+ | 2.7/5 (25) | Feb 9, 2026 | 41/100 |
| 5 | [Disable WP REST API](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/disable-wp-rest-api/) | 30K+ | 4.8/5 (36) | Aug 10, 2026 | 86/100 |
| 6 | [WP REST Cache](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-rest-cache/) | 10K+ | 4.9/5 (42) | Jul 25, 2026 | 70/100 |
| 7 | [WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wpgetapi/) | 10K+ | 5/5 (32) | Aug 13, 2026 | 90/100 |
| 8 | [WPGraphQL for ACF](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wpgraphql-acf/) | 10K+ | 5/5 (1) | Sep 8, 2026 | 75/100 |
| 9 | [WordPress REST API (Version 2)](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/rest-api/) | 10K+ | 4.2/5 (34) | Nov 28, 2017 | 43/100 |
| 10 | [WP REST API Controller](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-rest-api-controller/) | 8K+ | 4.3/5 (12) | Mar 22, 2023 | 38/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is API Bearer Auth free?
Yes. API Bearer Auth is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is API Bearer Auth safe to use in 2026?
API Bearer Auth works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 300+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 10 months ago, and scores 53/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use API Bearer Auth?
API Bearer Auth is active on 300+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 24,523 times since it launched in December 2017. It was downloaded 198 times in the last 30 days.

### Does API Bearer Auth work with WordPress 7.1?
API Bearer Auth is officially tested up to WordPress 6.9.9, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### What PHP version does API Bearer Auth need?
API Bearer Auth requires PHP 5.4.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was API Bearer Auth last updated?
The latest version, 20200916, was released on December 8, 2025 (10 months ago).

### Who makes API Bearer Auth?
API Bearer Auth is developed and maintained by michielve.

### What are the best alternatives to API Bearer Auth?
The most popular alternatives to API Bearer Auth are WP Consent API (200K+ installs), Disable REST API (80K+ installs) and Mailgun for WordPress (80K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/api-bearer-auth/ · Generated 2026-10-04 01:56 UTC by PageForge