# Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security

> Patchstack has 60K+ active installs, a 4.9/5 rating from 61 reviews and 22.3K downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 71/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Solid choice.** Patchstack is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 60K+ sites, is rated 4.9/5 and was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 71/100 on our health check.

**Patchstack automatically identifies and mitigates security vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins, themes, and core.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** #648 of 69,475 plugins
- **Active installs:** 60K+
- **Total downloads:** 713,221
- **Downloads (30 days):** 22,332 (-59.1% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 4.9/5 from 61 reviews
- **Health score:** 71/100 (Good)
- **Version:** 2.3.7
- **Last updated:** Jul 28, 2026
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 7.0.6
- **Requires:** WordPress 5.2+, PHP 5.6+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 2 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** Patchstack (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/patchstack/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/patchstack/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [firewall](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/firewall/) | #13 | 198 |
| [security](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/security/) | #32 | 1,571 |
| [virtual patching](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/virtual-patching/) | #1 | 1 |
| [vulnerabilities](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/vulnerabilities/) | #3 | 18 |
| [vulnerability](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/vulnerability/) | #1 | 41 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| firewall | #32 | 918 |
| security | #31 | 10,000 |
| virtual patching | #1 | 15 |
| vulnerabilities | #14 | 3,721 |
| vulnerability | #16 | 3,721 |

## Version adoption

- 2.3: 97.3%
- Other: 2.7%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wordfence/) | 5M+ | 4.7/5 (5,009) | Sep 8, 2026 | 96/100 |
| 2 | [Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/limit-login-attempts-reloaded/) | 1M+ | 4.8/5 (1,483) | Sep 23, 2026 | 91/100 |
| 3 | [Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/sg-security/) | 1M+ | 4.5/5 (157) | Aug 28, 2026 | 91/100 |
| 4 | [All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/all-in-one-wp-security-and-firewall/) | 1M+ | 4.7/5 (1,717) | Sep 17, 2026 | 94/100 |
| 5 | [Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/sucuri-scanner/) | 600K+ | 4.2/5 (384) | Sep 9, 2026 | 93/100 |
| 6 | [MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/malcare-security/) | 100K+ | 4.4/5 (553) | Sep 17, 2026 | 93/100 |
| 7 | [Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/gotmls/) | 100K+ | 4.9/5 (783) | Jun 29, 2026 | 87/100 |
| 8 | [BBQ Firewall – Fast & Powerful Firewall Security](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/block-bad-queries/) | 100K+ | 4.9/5 (160) | Aug 9, 2026 | 92/100 |
| 9 | [NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/ninjafirewall/) | 100K+ | 4.9/5 (220) | Sep 22, 2026 | 87/100 |
| 10 | [Login Lockdown & Protection](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/login-lockdown/) | 100K+ | 4.3/5 (61) | Aug 16, 2026 | 89/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

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

### Is Patchstack safe to use in 2026?
Patchstack is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 60K+ sites, is rated 4.9/5 and was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 71/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Patchstack?
Patchstack is active on 60K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 713,221 times since it launched in November 2021. It was downloaded 22,332 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Patchstack work with WordPress 7.1?
Patchstack is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.6, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### What PHP version does Patchstack need?
Patchstack requires PHP 5.6 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was Patchstack last updated?
The latest version, 2.3.7, was released on July 28, 2026 (2 months ago).

### Who makes Patchstack?
Patchstack is developed and maintained by Patchstack.

### What are the best alternatives to Patchstack?
The most popular alternatives to Patchstack are Wordfence Security (5M+ installs), Limit Login Attempts Securi… (1M+ installs) and Security Optimizer (1M+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/patchstack/ · Generated 2026-09-26 14:42 UTC by PageForge