# User Groups

> User Groups has 200+ active installs, a 4/5 rating from 9 reviews and 74 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 34/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Consider an alternative.** User Groups shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 200+ sites, is rated 4/5 and was last updated 10 years ago, and scores 34/100 on our health check.

**The User Groups plugin does not modify user capabilities, limit access, or anything like that. This plugin does one thing, and does it well: create groups and organize your users by that group.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 200+
- **Total downloads:** 21,258
- **Downloads (30 days):** 74 (+1.4% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 4/5 from 9 reviews
- **Health score:** 34/100 (At risk)
- **Version:** 1.3.1
- **Last updated:** Apr 11, 2016
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 4.5.33
- **Requires:** WordPress 2.8+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** Zack Katz (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/katzwebdesign/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/user-groups/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [groups](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/groups/) | #9 | 74 |
| [user](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/user/) | #50 | 295 |
| [user group](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/user-group/) | #1 | 1 |
| [users](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/users/) | #52 | 312 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| groups | >100 | 5,887 |
| user | >100 | 10,000 |
| user group | >100 | 4,261 |
| users | >100 | 10,000 |

## Version adoption

- 1.3: 96%
- 1.1: 4%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Groups – Memberships and Access Control](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/groups/) | 10K+ | 4.8/5 (382) | Sep 24, 2026 | 93/100 |
| 2 | [Private groups](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/bbp-private-groups/) | 1K+ | 4.9/5 (49) | Aug 20, 2026 | 87/100 |
| 3 | [Registration Options for BuddyPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/bp-registration-options/) | 1K+ | 4.4/5 (33) | Mar 5, 2023 | 41/100 |
| 4 | [BuddyPress Group Email Subscription](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/buddypress-group-email-subscription/) | 1K+ | 4/5 (32) | Oct 4, 2024 | 42/100 |
| 5 | [Groups 404 Redirect](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/groups-404-redirect/) | 1K+ | 4.6/5 (10) | Sep 25, 2026 | 80/100 |
| 6 | [Wbcom Designs – Shortcodes & Elementor Widgets For BuddyPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/shortcodes-for-buddypress/) | 600+ | 4.6/5 (10) | Jul 31, 2026 | 71/100 |
| 7 | [BuddyPress Default Data](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/bp-default-data/) | 400+ | 3.9/5 (22) | Nov 30, 2024 | 42/100 |
| 8 | [BuddyPress Groups Extras](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/buddypress-groups-extras/) | 400+ | 4.3/5 (35) | Dec 1, 2024 | 44/100 |
| 10 | [Advanced XProfile Fields for BuddyPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/advanced-xprofile-fields-for-buddypress/) | 100+ | 4.2/5 (5) | Jun 7, 2026 | 51/100 |
| 11 | [BuddyPress Registration Groups](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/buddypress-registration-groups-1/) | 100+ | 4.9/5 (7) | Aug 20, 2026 | 71/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

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

### Is User Groups safe to use in 2026?
User Groups shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 200+ sites, is rated 4/5 and was last updated 10 years ago, and scores 34/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use User Groups?
User Groups is active on 200+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 21,258 times since it launched in June 2012. It was downloaded 74 times in the last 30 days.

### Does User Groups work with WordPress 7.1?
User Groups is officially tested up to WordPress 4.5.33, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### When was User Groups last updated?
The latest version, 1.3.1, was released on April 11, 2016 (10 years ago).

### Who makes User Groups?
User Groups is developed and maintained by Zack Katz.

### What are the best alternatives to User Groups?
The most popular alternatives to User Groups are Groups (10K+ installs), Private groups (1K+ installs) and Registration Options for Bu… (1K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/user-groups/ · Generated 2026-09-27 17:40 UTC by PageForge