Wordfence has a robust free version with a firewall and malware scanner. Wordfence Premium starts at $119/year per site and adds real-time threat intelligence and faster rule updates.

Does Wordfence slow down WordPress?

Wordfence runs server-side and has minimal impact on front-end performance. The firewall processes requests before WordPress loads, which actually reduces server load from malicious traffic.

Can DetectWP tell if a site uses Wordfence?

Yes — DetectWP can detect Wordfence from response headers and plugin file paths, including version number and any known vulnerabilities in that version.

🔌 WordPress Plugin

Wordfence Security — #1 WordPress Security Plugin

Wordfence Security is the most widely used WordPress security plugin, with over 4 million active installs. It combines an endpoint firewall, malware scanner, live traffic monitoring, brute force protection, and two-factor authentication into a single free plugin.

4M+

Active Installs

1.1%

Sites Detected

4.7★

User Rating

Freemium

Pricing

Why is Wordfence so popular?

Wordfence's free version is genuinely powerful — the firewall and malware scanner alone are worth more than most paid alternatives charge. Its Threat Intelligence Feed, updated from real attack data, keeps the rules current.

Free + Premium🔥 4M+ Installs

What is Wordfence used for?

Every WordPress site — blogs, eCommerce stores, business sites, membership sites. Particularly important for WooCommerce stores handling payment data and sites that regularly publish sensitive content.

How DetectWP detects Wordfence

Wordfence is deliberately difficult to detect (for security reasons). DetectWP looks for specific HTTP response headers and HTML comments that Wordfence adds by default in free mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wordfence free?

Yes — Wordfence has a comprehensive free version. Wordfence Premium ($119/year) upgrades the Threat Intelligence Feed from 30-day delayed to real-time, plus adds country blocking and premium support.

Does Wordfence slow down my site?

Wordfence does add some server overhead, particularly its malware scanner. Scheduling scans for off-peak hours and excluding WordPress core files from scanning minimises the impact.

Wordfence vs Sucuri vs iThemes Security?

Wordfence is the strongest all-in-one choice for most sites. Sucuri is preferred by enterprises that want a cloud-based WAF (Web Application Firewall) rather than endpoint protection.

Security-Related Plugins

Is a site using Wordfence?

Scan any WordPress site to detect their security setup, including Wordfence version and any known vulnerabilities.

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