8 Best WordPress Malware Removal Plugins [Paid and Free]

Malware is one of the biggest threats to any WordPress website.

Hackers use it to steal data, inject spam links, or even take down your site completely. If your site gets infected, you need to act fast with a reliable WordPress malware removal solution.

Keeping a website safe isn’t just about removing threats. You also need strong security to prevent future attacks. That’s why choosing the right WordPress malware cleanup tool is so important.

At IsItWP, we run a trustworthy, high-traffic website with a high-value audience.

As a result, it is the perfect type of website for malicious people to target. They may be looking to collect data, infect user devices, launch phishing attacks, execute SEO poisoning, and more.

Because of this, we always ensure that we properly protect our website from malware attacks using software and plugins we trust. We have, therefore, tested and used plenty of WordPress security plugins to see what works best for us.

In this article, we’ll share the best WordPress malware removal plugins based on real experience. You’ll see their features, pricing, pros and cons, and which ones offer the best free malware cleanup options.

We will also offer insights on the best free malware removal software for WordPress. If you are looking for a way to improve their site security without paying anything.

Plus, if you do not have time to go through the entire list of WordPress malware plugins, here are some key takeaways.

Key Takeaways

• Malware is a major threat to WordPress websites, leading to data theft, spam injections, and site crashes.
• Quick action is crucial—using a malware removal WordPress plugin can help detect and eliminate threats fast.
• Prevention is just as important as site cleanup. The best WordPress security plugins offer firewalls, real-time monitoring, and login protection that can stop attacks before they happen.
• Best plugins for malware removal: Sucuri, Wordfence, MalCare, SecuPress, Solid Security (Formerly iThemes Security), BulletProof Security, CleanTalk Security, and Astra Security Suite.
• Some free options exist, but premium plans offer deeper protection, faster malware removal, and additional security features.
• Regular WordPress backups are essential—use plugins like Duplicator to restore your site quickly after an attack.

How Does Malware Work and How to Remove It?

Malware attacks are either random or specifically intended to steal your information and damage your website files. These attacks can initiate the theft of money from eCommerce stores.

Different kinds of malicious software can ambush your site and profit from any vulnerabilities you have.

A hacked WordPress site can lead to a traffic drop, and you’ll see an error on your website. Sometimes, you also get a warning from your web hosting provider about bandwidth overuse.

In these cases, staying calm and designing a quick action plan is the best practice. If you’re running a WordPress website, several WordPress security plugins and tools help remove malware and restore your website.

As mentioned, we take WordPress site security very seriously. So before you proceed, you need to ensure if it’s a malware attack or something else.

To help with this, you can use our free WordPress Malware Scanner by IsItWP to identify malware and hacks on your site.

You need to enter your website’s URL and click on the Scan Website button. This WordPress security scanner will take a few minutes to find any malware or hacks and display the complete details.

It’ll help you understand the attack so that you can find the best way to remove malware from WordPress.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the best WordPress malware removal plugins.

Best WordPress Malware Removal Plugins

If you suspect you have a hacked website, we recommend using a wordpress malware cleaner. You could try to find infected files and remove them manually. But there’s a high risk of making the situation worse.

You need to access your WordPress core files and folders, such as the wp-content folder and the wp-config.php file. You’ll need to use an FTP or File Manager (through cPanel). You also need to tap into your database using phpMyAdmin.

These are critical files and folders; you risk downtime and data loss if you make even a tiny mistake.

Instead, relying on a trustworthy security plugin is much easier and safer.

Before we get into our list, here is a table that can help you quickly compare them if you do not have the time to go through each in detail.

Below, you’ll find paid and free WordPress malware removal plugins. Each plugin has a unique approach to remove malware and make your website function normally.

1. Sucuri

Sucuri is the most popular website security and WordPress malware removal plugin. It protects your site from potential attacks and monitors it to identify threats.

If your website is attacked, Sucuri diagnoses all types of malware infection and shows you the threat level. Then, it fully removes malware, any other malicious code, and backdoors from your website files and database. It also fixes your SEO and removes any link injections to make your website look good in search engines.

With continuous security warnings, your website loses traffic, and it can affect your sales. Sucuri submits blocklist removal requests on your behalf and helps you restore your website to normal.

One area we really like about this security software is its eCommerce protection features.

It is designed to protect online stores from a wide range of threats, such as credit card skimmers, Magecart attacks, and other types of malware. With automated malware scanning, it detects potential infections and harmful scripts before they can impact your store.

On top of this, you can rely on Sucuri’s web application firewall. It filters malicious traffic, blocks attackers, and prevents data breaches. This WordPress malware cleaner also monitors uptime for eCommerce stores to ensure your business remains accessible. As a result, it helps you protect your brand reputation and maintain customer trust.

It also provides additional security measures and a robust firewall that blocks future attacks and filters malicious traffic from visiting your website. This security layer helps improve the performance and speed of your website.

Pros:

• Continuous website monitoring helps us identify and address security vulnerabilities before they impact our site.
• Sucuri submits blocklist removal requests for us, helping restore our site’s visibility on search engines like Google.
• The cloud-based firewall offers a strong defense by filtering malicious traffic and blocking potential attackers.
• Uptime monitoring prevents interruptions and ensures our site is always accessible.
• We like that Sucuri supports websites built on any platform.
• Site speed optimization with Sucuri CDN.
• Malware removal by experienced security experts.

Cons:

• Beginners can experience a learning curve, especially when setting up firewalls.
• The free version of Sucuri offers limited features. You need to upgrade to access all functionalities.

Check out the latest Sucuri review here.

Get Started with Sucuri here.

Pricing: Offers a free plugin. The basic plan costs $299.99 per year for 1 website. It runs malware and hack scans every 12 hours.

2. Wordfence

Wordfence is a powerful WordPress malware cleanup service and website security plugin. It quickly scans your website for malware, infected files, and malicious threats and activates the firewall to protect it from any attacks.

The malware scanner checks your core WordPress files, theme files, and plugin files for bad URLs, malicious redirects, and link injections.

If your site is infected, it helps WordPress remove redirect malware and restore clean versions of affected files. It also has built-in security templates that simplify the plugin’s configuration.

Other than that, Wordfence tracks irrelevant logins, attack activity, password breaches, and spambots. It alerts website administrators via SMS, emails, or Slack about security issues. That way, site owners can take quick action.

Pros:

• We like that this powerful WordPress malware scanner plugin checks everything on our website. It scans core WordPress files, themes, and plugins.
• Wordfence provides real-time updates on firewall rules and malware signatures, allowing us to respond quickly to emerging security threats.
• It protects us from a wide range of malware attacks like brute force attacks, XMLRPC abuse, and spambots.
• The ability to get alerts from SMSs, emails, and Slack ensures we are always informed of potential attacks quickly.
• It has the largest WordPress-specific malware database in the world
• reCAPTCHA and two-factor authentication added a layer of password protection.
• IP access control makes managing who has access to the site easier.

Cons:

• The comprehensive scanning can be resource-heavy, slowing the site during malware scans.
• Key features like real-time malware signatures, premium IP blocklists, and country blocking are only available in the paid version.
• Wordfence sometimes flags harmless activity as threats.

Check out the latest Wordfence review here.

Get started with Wordfence here.

Pricing: It’s FREE. Wordfence has a paid version with higher security levels, starting from $199 per year.

3. MalCare

MalCare is an instant WordPress malware removal plugin. It comes with an auto-clean feature that looks after any malware attack and removes it without waiting for the website owner’s approval.

It scans your website without putting any load on your server’s resources. The MalCare WordPress plugin provides real-time protection from malicious threats and hackers by adding a smart firewall to your website.

We like how MalCare provides customized site-specific protection.

This ensures your website is secured with rules tailored to its unique setup. The firewall feature continuously updates and adapts to changes on your site. This helps prevent conflicts and avoid emerging vulnerabilities, including zero-day attacks.

To add to this, it offers intelligent bot-blocking technology. This prevents brute force attacks and stops malicious bots from slowing down your site or scraping your content. You can also use this security WordPress software as a backup plugin. Its incremental WordPress backups safeguard your data, ensuring a quick recovery in case of an attack. It’s easy to set up and configure in just a few minutes.

Pros:

• The auto-clean feature swiftly removes malware without our approval, providing peace of mind during security incidents.
• The effective intelligent bot protection blocks spambots that attempt brute force attacks or try to scrape our content. This reduces our server load and protects our SEO.
• MalCare’s incremental backup feature allows us to restore our website quickly after an attack, with minimal performance impact and no downtime.
• It was great to learn that MalCare offers personalized security rules tailored to each website.

Cons:

• Despite being easy to install, configuring MalCare site-specific security rules and firewall experience with the plugin.
• Manual malware site scan is only available on the pro version. This can be necessary if we suspect immediate threats.

Get started with MalCare here.

Pricing: Offers a free plugin. The basic plan pricing starts from $149 per year for 1 website.

4. SecuPress

SecuPress is a free WordPress malware scanning and removal plugin. It comes with a WordPress security toolkit to scan your website for malware, bots, and traffic from suspicious IP addresses.

It runs a security audit and highlights dozens of security points in just a few minutes. Where needed, the plugin asks for your permission to take action and fix the issues. SecuPress Pro comes with additional features, including white-label options, PHP malware scan, alerts and notifications, advanced user protection, PDF reports, and two-factor authentication.

Pros:

• SecuPress performs a thorough audit of up to 35 security points, providing a detailed analysis of our site’s vulnerabilities and offering solutions for fixing them.
• The plugin’s guided security fixes make resolving vulnerabilities easy, even if we’re not security experts.
• The ability to block traffic from specific countries by geolocation helps us prevent unwanted access from high-risk regions.
• SecuPress generates security reports in PDF format, allowing us to easily review and share insights with our team or clients for transparency.

Cons:

• Advanced features like two-factor authentication and white-label options are only available in the Pro plans.
• Sometimes, the country-blocking feature might restrict legitimate traffic.

Get started with SecuPress here.

Pricing: Offers a free plugin. The SecuPress Pro plan starts from $69.99 per year for 1 website.

5. Solid Security (Formerly iThemes Security)

Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security) is one of the most reliable WordPress malware removal and security plugins.

It provides a full suite of tools to protect your website from hackers, malware, and brute force attacks. Whether you’re running a small blog or a business website, keeping your site secure should be a priority.

“The plugin comes with a built-in malware scanner that checks for vulnerabilities in your WordPress core, themes, and plugins.

It helps WordPress remove redirect malware, scans for suspicious code, outdated software, and detects unauthorized changes that could indicate a security breach.

(formerly iThemes Security) scans for suspicious code, outdated software, and unauthorized changes that could indicate a security breach. If malware is detected, you get alerts immediately so you can take action.

One of Solid Security’s strongest features is brute force protection. Hackers often try to break into WordPress sites by guessing passwords repeatedly.

This plugin blocks IPs that attempt too many failed logins and enforces strong password policies to prevent unauthorized access.

It supports two-factor authentication (2FA) and reCAPTCHA for added security, making it harder for bots and attackers to gain entry.

Another great feature is file change detection. If a hacker modifies any of your WordPress files, the plugin will notify you right away. This helps you catch unauthorized changes before they cause major damage.

Solid Security also includes security templates, which allow you to apply the best security settings based on your website type. Whether you run an eCommerce store, a blog, or a business website, you can set up protection with just a few clicks.

For those who want even more protection, the Pro version offers additional features like passwordless login, trusted devices, and advanced malware scanning.

Pros:

• The malware scanner detects vulnerabilities and potential threats.
• Brute force protection blocks repeated failed login attempts.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security.
• File change detection alerts you to suspicious modifications.
• Easy security settings with pre-configured templates.

Cons:

• Some features, like automated malware site cleanup, require the Pro version.
• Advanced WordPress firewall protection is not included.
• Can be overwhelming for beginners due to the number of settings.

Check out the latest Solid Security review here.

Pricing: Solid Security has a free version with essential security features. The Pro version starts at $99 per year for advanced protection.

Get started with Solid Security here.

6. BulletProof Security

BulletProof Security is a free WordPress malware scanner and website security plugin. It comes with a WordPress firewall, login security, database backup, anti-spam, and other website protection features.

It has a 1-click setup wizard and monitors your website for malware attacks, suspicious activities, and more. With full website and database backups, you can quickly restore your website in case of hacks and attacks.

Pros:

• The 1-click setup wizard is convenient, allowing us to quickly configure the plugin.
• BulletProof Security automatically resolves over 100 known plugin conflicts.
• It provides robust .htaccess protection, offering an extra layer for critical website files.
• The built-in idle session logout feature enhances login security.

Cons:

• It doesn’t offer comprehensive real-time monitoring in the free version.
• The interface is less modern, making it harder to navigate.

Get started with BulletProof Security here.

Pricing: FREE. But you can get the pro version with a one-time fee of $69.95

7. CleanTalk Security and Malware Scan

CleanTalk Security and Malware Scan is one of the best WordPress security plugins. It runs daily automated malware scans on your website and protects from brute force attacks.

The WordPress malware cleaner creates security audit logs to monitor malicious activities on your website. It prevents malware attacks and checks plugin files and themes with heuristic analysis to secure your website.

Pros:

• Comes with a wide range of security tools like site firewalls, malware scanning, and brute force protection.
• All our security logs are stored in the cloud for 45 days, giving us the flexibility to review past activities and stay informed.
• It comes with real-time traffic monitoring and malware scanning.
• We can customize settings like the login URL and WordPress firewall rules.
• Can hide login page.

Cons:

• It can lead to cloud dependence, an external service, which can limit security control over your site.

Get started with CleanTalk Security and Malware Scan here.

Pricing: offers a free plugin. The Pro version of the plugin starts from $12 per year.

8. Astra Security Suite

Astra Security Suite is a premium-quality free WordPress malware cleanup plugin. It comes with a web application firewall, machine learning malware scanner, instant malware cleanup, vulnerability assessment, and more.

It has an intuitive dashboard to manage your website security. The plugin offers malware scanning and removal, bad bots blocking, malicious file upload prevention, brute force protection, fake search engine bot blocking, auto-blocking for known hackers, and more.

Pros:

• Real-time protection against 100+ types of threats, including SQLi, XSS, and SEO spam, without needing multiple plugins.
• Installs quickly as an extension without modifying DNS settings, making it easy for us to set up without impacting website performance.
• Offers on-demand machine-learning-powered malware scanning and immediate malware cleanup.
• It has a user-friendly dashboard that provides comprehensive threat analytics, IP tracking, and admin activity logs.

Cons:

• It is quite expensive compared to other malware software on this list.

Get started with Astra Security Suite here.

Pricing: Offers a free plugin. The premium version starts from $199 per month.

That’s all for now. If you have any more questions, check out these commonly asked questions below.

FAQs: Best WordPress Malware Cleanup Plugins

Congratulations! We hope this article has helped you find the best malware removal WordPress tool to protect your website from malicious software and hacks.

For an added security layer, we recommend regular backups of your WordPress site. You can use Duplicator – it’s a free WordPress backup plugin. You can store backup files safely and restore them when you need them.

Apart from that, here are other articles you may be interested in reading.

• The Complete WordPress Security Guide (Beginner Friendly)
• How to Enable Maintenance Mode in WordPress (With & Without a Plugin)
• 10 Best User Login and Registration Plugins for WordPress

The first article walks you through an in-depth but beginner-friendly guide on everything WordPress security. The next post focuses on helping you enable maintenance mode to uphold your SEO and security when your site is down. While the last article lists 10 best user login and registration plugins.