# GuardPress Free vs Pro

> Compare GuardPress Free and Pro. See which security features are included in each version and choose the right protection for your WordPress site.

- Canonical: <https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/free-vs-pro/>
- HTML version: <https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/free-vs-pro/>

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- [Overview](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/)
- [Features](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/)

  [All Features](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/)
  [Firewall](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/firewall/)
  [Malware Scanner](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/malware-scanner/)
  [Vulnerability Scanner](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/vulnerability-scanner/)
  [Two-Factor Auth](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/two-factor-auth/)
  [Activity Logs](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/activity-logs/)
- [Compare](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/free-vs-pro/)

  [Free vs Pro](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/free-vs-pro/)
  [vs Wordfence](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/vs-wordfence/)
  [vs Sucuri](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/vs-sucuri/)
  [vs Kadence Security](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/vs-kadence-security/)
- [Pricing](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/pricing/)
- [Docs](https://royalplugins.com/support/guardpress/)

Overview
All Features
— Firewall
— Malware Scanner
— Vulnerability Scanner
— Two-Factor Auth
— Activity Logs
Compare
— Free vs Pro
— vs Wordfence
— vs Sucuri
— vs Kadence Security
Pricing
Documentation

Both versions protect your WordPress site. Pro adds advanced firewall, malware scanning, 2FA, outdated-software alerts, and comprehensive monitoring.

By Jameson · Founder & Lead Developer

The free version provides essential security hardening and brute force protection. GuardPress Pro adds proactive defense with a real-time firewall, malware detection, two-factor authentication, and detailed activity logging.

| Feature | Free | Premium Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Protection & Prevention | | |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) Blocks SQL injection, XSS, and OWASP Top 10 attacks |  |  |
| IP Blocking & Whitelisting Block or allow specific IP addresses |  |  |
| Country Blocking Block traffic from specific countries |  |  |
| Rate Limiting |  |  |
| Bot Protection Detect and block malicious bots |  |  |
| Spam Protection Comment-spam filter, honeypot fields, time-based bot detection, disposable-email blocking |  |  |
| Detection & Scanning | | |
| Malware Scanner Deep scans for hidden malware and backdoors |  |  |
| Vulnerability Scanner Flags pending updates, abandoned plugins, and hardening misconfigurations |  |  |
| File Integrity Monitoring Detect unauthorized file changes |  |  |
| Scheduled Automatic Scans Run scans daily, weekly, or monthly |  |  |
| Database Security Check |  |  |
| Authentication & Access | | |
| Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) TOTP-based 2FA for all user roles |  |  |
| Per-Role 2FA Enforcement Require 2FA for selected roles with a 7-day grace period and dashboard countdown banner |  |  |
| Emergency Lockdown One-toggle site-wide kill switch that denies all new sign-ins; existing sessions keep working |  |  |
| Brute Force Protection |  |  |
| CAPTCHA Integration |  |  |
| Login URL Hiding Change wp-admin and wp-login.php URLs |  |  |
| Monitoring & Alerts | | |
| Activity Logging Complete audit trail of all actions |  |  |
| Uptime Monitoring Get alerted when your site goes down |  |  |
| Email Security Alerts | Basic | Advanced |
| Attacker-Behavior Alerts Alerts for new admin created, admin role granted, plugin activated / deactivated, admin email changed — the events attackers trigger after a session compromise |  |  |
| Sign-in Notifications Emails the user themselves on every sign-in to their account — the Gmail / GitHub pattern. Per-role allow-list. |  |  |
| Dashboard Widget |  |  |
| Attack Statistics & Reports Detailed reports on blocked attacks |  |  |
| WordPress Hardening | | |
| Security Headers Add X-XSS-Protection, CSP, and more |  |  |
| XML-RPC Protection |  |  |
| REST API Control |  |  |
| File Editor Disabling |  |  |
| [Uploads PHP Execution Block](https://royalplugins.com/support/guardpress/uploads-php-execution-block-setup/)  Deny PHP execution in wp-content/uploads/ — kills the “upload a .php then run a shell” attack class |  |  |
| Admin Email Change Verification Requires OLD-email confirmation before admin emails can change — blocks account-takeover via email swap |  |  |
| Compatibility & Support | | |
| WooCommerce Compatible |  |  |
| Automatic Updates |  |  |
| Priority Support Fast, dedicated support from our team |  |  |

## Understanding Pro Features

[### Web Application Firewall Pro

Real-time protection against SQL injection, XSS, and other OWASP Top 10 attacks. Blocks malicious requests before they reach WordPress.](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/firewall/)
[### Malware Scanner Pro

Deep scans detect hidden malware, backdoors, and suspicious code patterns. Get alerts when files are modified or infected.](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/malware-scanner/)
[### Two-Factor Authentication Pro

TOTP-based 2FA adds a second layer of protection. Even if passwords are compromised, accounts stay secure.](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/two-factor-auth/)
[### Vulnerability Scanner Pro

Real CVE IDs, CVSS scores, and CISA KEV cross-reference on every finding. Data flows through the Royal Plugins vulnerability intelligence proxy, so there are no API keys for you to manage. Plus pending updates, abandoned-plugin detection, and hardening checks.](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/vulnerability-scanner/)
[### Activity Logging Pro

Complete audit trail of all user actions, login attempts, and plugin changes. Know exactly what happened and when.](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/features/activity-logs/)

### Uptime Monitoring Pro

Get alerted instantly when your site goes down. Know about outages before your visitors do and respond quickly.

## Frequently Asked Questions

#### Can I upgrade from Free to Pro later?

Absolutely! Your existing settings are preserved when you upgrade. Simply install Pro over Free and enter your license key.

#### Does Pro include all Free features?

Yes! Pro includes everything in Free plus advanced features like the firewall, malware scanner, 2FA, vulnerability scanner with CVE + CISA KEV data, and more.

#### Will the firewall slow down my site?

No. GuardPress's firewall is optimized for performance, using efficient rule matching and caching. Most sites see no measurable impact.

#### What happens when my license expires?

You lose access to updates, support, and Pro features. Your site remains protected with current rules, but new threats won't be blocked.

#### Is the Free version time-limited?

No! GuardPress Free is fully functional with no expiration. Use it as long as you want - we hope you'll love it enough to upgrade.

#### Do I need technical knowledge to use Pro?

Not at all. Pro features are designed to work out of the box with sensible defaults. Advanced users can customize everything.

## Ready to Upgrade Your Security?

Get complete protection with firewall, malware scanning, 2FA, and comprehensive monitoring.

[Get GuardPress Pro](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/#pricing)
[View Pricing](https://royalplugins.com/guardpress/pricing/)

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