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Comparison

MalCare — WordPress Security Platform vs Wordfence

MalCare — WordPress Security Platform lands on Depends, and Wordfence lands on Worth it.

MalCare — WordPress Security Platform versus Wordfence
CompareMalCare — WordPress Security PlatformWordfence
VerdictDependsWorth it
Best forSerious WordPress site ownersWordPress sites of any size
Who it's not forNon-WordPress sites . zero coverageNon-WordPress websites
PrivacyNo known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.¹No public breaches of Wordfence found; vendor runs active vulnerability research, though CVE databases list some XSS issues under the Wordfence vendor name.
Support qualityNo support-quality evidence in sourcesReal support gated to paid plans
Public sentimentReviewers describe MalCare as reliable autopilot security with easy one-click cleanup, noting some tier limits.⁴Reviews and Reddit broadly praise the free tier's protection, while debating Premium's value, site speed impact, and paid-only support.14
Biggest gotchaEntry plan at $99/year has firewall limits; real protection likely $199+/year.³Premium pricing has climbed repeatedly . 20.2% hike in 2022, increases again December 2024.13

Pick MalCare — WordPress Security Platform when

  • Serious WordPress site owners
  • Non-technical teams wanting autopilot security
  • Buyers prioritizing login security and hardening

When MalCare — WordPress Security Platform is not a fit

  • Non-WordPress sites . zero coverage
  • Hobby blogs . a free plugin plus backups suffices
  • Anyone wanting vendor transparency . no published security page
  • Buyers needing independently verified vendor claims

Pick Wordfence when

  • WordPress sites of any size
  • Budget bloggers (free tier)
  • Agencies managing many WP sites
  • Owners wanting app-level WAF

When Wordfence is not a fit

  • Non-WordPress websites
  • Enterprises needing server-level WAF
  • Fully hands-off owners who never touch settings
  • Anyone wanting human support without paying

Sources

  1. MalCare . WordPress Security Platform (official)malcare.com
    official
  2. MalCare security page (no page found)malcare.com
    official
  3. MalCare Review 2026: Pricing, Free Tier, and Firewall Limitsfatlabwebsupport.com
    review
  4. MalCare Review: Features, Pricing, and Verdictsuperbthemes.com
    review
  5. MalCare vs Sucuri vs Wordfence vs SiteLock vs iThemeswpmayor.com
    review
  6. Wordfence vs. MalCare comparisonwordfence.com
    review
  7. MalCare vs Sucuri 2020 Comparisonsucuri.net
    review
  8. MalCare plugin listing on WordPress.orgfr.wordpress.org
    official
  9. WordPress Security Best Practices 2026designworksnw.com
    news
  10. Wordfence: WordPress Security Pluginwordfence.com
    official
  11. Wordfence Security - Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Protectionwordpress.org
    official
  12. Wordfence Pricingwordfence.com
    official
  13. Wordfence Price Increases Coming December 5th, 2024wordfence.com
    official
  14. Wordfence Reviews . Trustpilottrustpilot.com
    review
  15. Wordfence Reviews . G2g2.com
    review
  16. Wordfence Reviews . Capterracapterra.com
    review