MalCare Security vs Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security)
Updated 5 Oct 2026. 26 features compared side by side.
Cloud-scanning WordPress security plugin with a plugin-level firewall, login protection and paid one-click malware cleanup, for site owners and agencies.
Login-focused WordPress security plugin (formerly Solid Security / iThemes Security) with 2FA, brute-force protection and Patchstack virtual patching in Pro.
Choose MalCare Security if…
- You need malware removal
- You want the more complete feature set (80/100 vs 77/100)
- You want the lower entry price ($99/yr vs $299/yr)
Choose Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) if…
- You need passkeys / WebAuthn and password policies
- You also want custom login URL and session management
- You prefer the more widely used option
MalCare Security includes 1 feature that Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) lacks, including Malware removal; Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) has 5 that MalCare Security lacks, including Passkeys / WebAuthn, Password policies and Custom login URL. Both include 18 of the 26 features we track. 1 feature is not yet verified for one or both plugins.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
MalCare Security Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security)Firewall & blocking6/75/7
Plugin-level firewall blocks SQLi, XSS and other OWASP classes; advanced rule set on Protect and up.
Firewall with Patchstack rules and custom request rules is part of Pro.
Firewall runs inside the WordPress site, not as a proxy on MalCare's network.
Firewall runs inside WordPress on your server.
Login protection with rate limiting of failed logins on every plan, including XML-RPC.
Local lockouts plus network-wide brute-force protection in the free plugin.
CAPTCHA challenge on the login page is part of the free login protection.
Pro CAPTCHA on login, registration, reset and comments (reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha, Turnstile).
Bot protection that blocks malicious crawlers is listed from the Protect plan.
No documented throttling for crawlers or bots found.
Geo-blocking with per-country toggles on Protect and higher.
Restrict Admin Access by Country limits admin logins only; tier not stated.
Real-time IP blacklisting from MalCare's network on Protect+; free blocks known bad IPs with slower updates.
Network Brute Force Protection blocks IPs reported across ~1M sites.
Scanning & cleanup6/65/6
Scans every file, database table and scheduled task for known and unknown malware.
Site Scan checks Google Safe Browsing; no signature-based file malware scan.
Unexpected file changes are flagged as part of the malware scan rather than a separate checker.
File change detection flags modified files; not a full original-file comparison.
Vulnerability alerts for plugins, themes and core are included in the free plan.
Site Scan checks core, plugins and themes for known vulnerabilities.
Automatic scans weekly on Free, daily on Protect, 12-hourly on Repair, hourly on Fortify.
Site Scan runs 4x daily free, hourly in Pro.
Scans are processed on MalCare's servers so they do not load the site.
Site Scan is processed through the vendor's scanning service; file checks run locally.
Automated one-click cleanup on Repair; unlimited manual fixes by analysts on Fortify.
No malware cleanup tool or service included.
Login security1/55/5
Email-based 2FA; free covers 2 admin users, rising to all users on Fortify.
2FA via authenticator app, email or backup codes in the free plugin.
No passkey or hardware-key login mentioned in features or pricing.
Passkey (WebAuthn) login requires Pro; not available on multisite.
Offers a reset-all-passwords action but no strength, expiry or breached-password rules.
Create and enforce password requirements by user group.
No option to move or hide the login page is listed.
Hide Login URL tool moves the login page.
No session listing or concurrent-login controls are listed.
Pro Trusted Devices helps block session hijacking; no full session manager found.
Hardening4/55/5
Paid hardening: block PHP in untrusted folders, disable file editor, block installs, rotate keys.
Advanced tools: change user ID 1, DB prefix, file permissions, salts, wp-config rules.
SSL certificate monitoring on all plans; no HTTPS enforcement or mixed-content fixing.
Free option to enforce SSL across the site.
HTTP security header configuration is not part of the feature set.
Settings for X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy and CSP; no HSTS.
Free gets virtual patches about 7 days late; immediate patching from Protect.
Patchstack virtual patching blocks exploits before vendor fixes.
Plugins and themes can be updated from the central dashboard; auto-updating only vulnerable items is not stated.
Version Management can auto-update or patch vulnerable software.
Monitoring & management3/33/3
Activity log of logins and changes kept 7 days on Repair and 60 days on Fortify.
User logging of logins, plugin, theme and content changes is Pro.
Email alerts for detected hacks, vulnerabilities and security events.
Security events and lockout notifications; site scan alert emails.
Sites are managed from MalCare's web dashboard; white label and client reports are paid extras.
Kadence Central multi-site portal is included in the Elite plan.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
MalCare Security Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Protect | $99 per year, 1 site |
| Repair | $299 per year, 1 site |
| Fortify | $499 per year, 1 site |
Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Kadence Pro | $299 per year, Not stated |
| Kadence Elite | $499 per year, Not stated |
Downloads trend
MalCare Security
57,526 downloads last week
Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security)
57,514 downloads last week
Verdict
MalCare Security scores higher on our feature checklist (80/100 against 77/100) and includes malware removal that Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) does not. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) still has the edge on passkeys / WebAuthn and password policies. Paid plans start at $99/yr for MalCare Security and $299/yr for Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security). Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
MalCare Security: paid version (Repair). Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security): not included. Automated one-click cleanup on Repair; unlimited manual fixes by analysts on Fortify.
MalCare Security: not included. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security): paid version (Kadence Pro). Passkey (WebAuthn) login requires Pro; not available on multisite.
MalCare Security: not included. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security): included. Create and enforce password requirements by user group.
MalCare Security: not included. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security): included. Hide Login URL tool moves the login page.
MalCare Security: not included. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security): partial. Pro Trusted Devices helps block session hijacking; no full session manager found.
MalCare Security: not included. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security): partial. Settings for X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy and CSP; no HSTS.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
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FAQ
Which is better, MalCare Security or Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security)?
MalCare Security scores higher on our feature checklist (80/100 against 77/100) and includes malware removal that Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) does not. Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) still has the edge on passkeys / WebAuthn and password policies. Paid plans start at $99/yr for MalCare Security and $299/yr for Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security). Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) includes 23 of the 26 features we track, against 20 for MalCare Security. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is MalCare Security free?
MalCare Security has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $99/yr.
Is Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) free?
Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security) has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $299/yr.
Feature data last changed 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to MalCare Security or Kadence Security (formerly Solid Security). Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.