AntiVirus

80 Quality Score

Active Installs

20/30

With 30,000 active installs, it has a modest user base that is dwarfed by category leaders like Wordfence and Jetpack, which have millions of installs each.

Update Freshness

25/25

The plugin was updated on 2025-12-21 and is tested against WordPress 6.9.4, indicating an actively maintained codebase that keeps pace with core releases.

User Rating

12/15

The 82 out of 100 rating from 23 users is decent, but the small sample size makes it less statistically reliable than plugins with hundreds or thousands of reviews.

Support Health

8/15

Zero support threads and a 0 percent resolution rate is a serious red flag, suggesting either that the developer is unresponsive or that the plugin is so simple that users never need help, and there is no way to tell which.

WP Compatibility

15/15

Tested with WordPress 6.9.4 and requiring PHP 7.4, it meets modern compatibility standards, earning a perfect score in this category.

Scores higher than 79% of indexed plugins

About

Security plugin to protect your blog or website against exploits and spam injections.

Active Installs 30k+

Rating ★★★★ 4.1/5

Last Updated 2026-09-20 6:41pm GMT

Requires WordPress 5.0+

Tested Up To 7.1.1

Requires PHP 7.4+

Security History

1 known vulnerability, all patched

1 High

Most recent: June 2, 2013

View details ▸

What It Does

AntiVirus scans your WordPress site for malware, exploit code, and spam injections in your themes, plugins, and database. It runs daily automatic checks and can send email alerts when suspicious patterns are found. The plugin focuses on detection rather than active firewall protection or malware removal.

Who It's For

This plugin suits smaller WordPress sites with modest traffic that need a lightweight, low-overhead scanner without the complexity of a full security suite. It works well for solo bloggers, small nonprofits, and local business sites where the owner wants simple malware detection and email alerts without configuring Web Application Firewalls or login hardening.

Who Should Skip It

If you run an e-commerce store, membership site, or any site handling sensitive user data, you should skip this plugin in favour of a full security suite with a firewall, login protection, and active threat response. Sites needing real-time traffic filtering or country blocking will find AntiVirus too limited.

The Bottom Line

AntiVirus delivers exactly what its name suggests: a simple malware scanner with email alerts, and its recent update history shows it is being maintained. However, zero support threads, a small user base, and the absence of firewall or active removal features make it a poor primary security layer for any site that handles sensitive data or significant traffic. Use it as a supplementary scanner alongside a full security plugin rather than as your sole defence.

Choose Wordfence when you need a full security suite with a real-time firewall, brute force protection, and country blocking rather than just malware scanning.

Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth 94/100

Pick Jetpack when you want security bundled with backups, performance tools, and growth features from a well-known Automattic product.

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 88/100

Choose this when you want automatic malware removal capabilities, which AntiVirus lacks.

NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 88/100

Pick NinjaFirewall when you need a standalone Web Application Firewall that runs before WordPress loads, offering stronger protection than scanner-only tools.

Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 86/100

Choose Sucuri when you want professional-grade auditing, integrity monitoring, and optional paid incident response from a recognized security company.