Scan WordPress for Malware with 10 Best Malware Plugins

Safeguarding your WordPress site from relentless malware threats can be daunting—especially when your current tools fail to scan WordPress for malware effectively, even on clearly compromised sites.

In this comprehensive guide, we reveal the 10 best malware scanner plugins that help you detect hidden threats and protect your website in real time.

If you’re hosting your site on a shared server, the risk is even higher. These environments are common targets for cyberattacks, and to make matters worse, most web hosting providers don’t offer built-in malware detection tools. This makes it even more critical to scan your WordPress for malware regularly using reliable security plugins.

To help you choose the right solution, our cybersecurity experts have thoroughly tested a wide range of tools. We’ve compiled a list of the best WordPress plugins that not only scan WordPress for malware, but also remove infections and block future attacks.

Each plugin in this list has been evaluated based on:

• Detection accuracy

• Ease of use

• Real-time scanning capability

• User reviews and support

By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to scan your WordPress site for malware effectively—and which tools you can trust to keep your content, data, and visitors safe.

TLDR: MalCare is the best free malware scanner for WordPress sites, providing a definitive, trustworthy report on whether your site is hacked. To remove malware, you’ll need to upgrade to a subscription.

How to Scan WordPress for Malware: What Makes a Scanner Truly Effective?

A reliable WordPress malware scanner plays a critical role in securing your website. However, with dozens of options available, choosing the right tool can be overwhelming. It’s essential to recognize that not all malware scanners are equally effective or comprehensive.

What Does It Really Mean to Scan WordPress for Malware?

To scan WordPress for malware means using a specialized tool that deeply analyzes your website’s files and database to detect both known and unknown threats. It’s a vital step in spotting infections early—before they result in downtime, blacklisting, or data loss.

However, many people confuse malware scanners with other security tools. Let’s clarify:

• ❌ It’s not a vulnerability scanner (although that’s still important for identifying weak points).

• ❌ It’s not just a file change monitor.

• ❌ It’s not a blacklist status checker.

A true malware scanner performs a thorough inspection of your entire WordPress environment. It must be able to scan WordPress for malware that’s hidden not only in core files, themes, and plugins—but also in the database, where infections like hacked redirect malware often lurk undetected by basic scanners.

1. MalCare (The Best Plugin – Scan wordpress for malware)

MalCare is the only WordPress malware scanner that detected every instance of malware on our test site. We could end the review here since that’s the most crucial aspect of a malware scanner, but there’s more to discuss.

Let’s start from the beginning. Installing MalCare was simple: create an account, set up the site to sync, and within minutes, we had a scan report. Our test site was confirmed to be hacked, and upgrading the plan allowed us to clean it. The free plugin doesn’t show the location of the malware; it simply answers the question: is my site hacked?

While this might be off-putting for some, it provides a definitive answer. Additionally, the free plugin automatically scans your site once a day, offering considerable peace of mind at no cost. On-demand scans are a premium feature.

Crucially, MalCare flagged every single instance of malware on the site. We tested various types of malware with each scanner, and MalCare was the only one to catch them all. This success is due to its unique signal-based scanning algorithm, which examines the behavior of code to determine if it’s malicious, rather than comparing it word-for-word with a database of malware signatures. We’ll discuss the distinction between these methods later, but suffice it to say, signal-based scanning is superior to signature-matching.

One feature that really stood out among the (competent) competition is the lack of performance impact. The scanner operates remotely, using MalCare’s servers for the heavy lifting. Our test site’s server didn’t even register a blip on CPU and disk monitoring tools during scans.

Finally, MalCare correctly flagged all vulnerabilities in both themes and plugins. While this isn’t the primary purpose of a scanner, it’s a nice bonus, as vulnerabilities are a leading cause of hacks.

Features

1. Automatic, daily scanner
2. Scans the full site: files and database
3. Signal-based malware detection
4. Remote scanning
5. Vulnerability scanning

Pros

• Highly effective scanner
• Finds malware in premium plugins and themes
• Effective against zero-day malware
• No false positives
• No missed malware
• No performance impact on the site

Cons

• Location of malware is only visible to paid users

Pricing

• Free malware scanning; location of malware and removal are premium features.

Verdict

MalCare is one of the best WordPress malware scanner plugins available, outshining all competition. We particularly appreciate that malware removal is also a feature, though it’s a premium one. If malware is detected on the site, the ability to swiftly remove it is invaluable.

2. Wordfence

As soon as we installed Wordfence on our test site, it flagged issues, which is exactly what we expected. Since our focus is solely on the malware scanning capabilities of the plugins, we bypassed the firewall and other security features, just as we did with MalCare, and went straight to the scan section.

Strangely, the initial scan showed results from a different site altogether. Despite our extensive testing of Wordfence over the years, we encountered old scan results from another site, likely due to using the same admin email address. This was not a good look for the scanner.

We started a new scan and noticed a significant dip in site performance. The site was noticeably slower to load, and our server monitoring tools showed a corresponding resource spike. It’s well-known that Wordfence can be a resource hog, but this is somewhat acceptable if the scanner performs well.

The Wordfence malware scanner flagged several issues, categorized into three main types: malicious or unsafe files, outdated core files, plugins, and themes, and modified files. However, one category was notably absent: there was no listing for database malware.

The malicious files were indeed infected with malware, and the modified core files were genuinely altered. In some cases, the modification was due to malware, while in others, it was not. We were surprised to see that license.txt was flagged as modified, even though we hadn’t changed the file. It turned out that a single character had been altered. Go figure.

Wordfence did a reasonable job of identifying file-based malware in free and open-source plugins and themes. However, it missed the database malware and flagged infected core files as ‘modified’ rather than ‘malicious,’ which downplays the severity of the issue.

According to their documentation, Wordfence offers a more current signature database for premium users, with free users gaining access to those signatures 30 days later. While it’s understandable that some features are reserved for premium users, a 30-day delay can be significant, as malware can worsen over time.

To our surprise, Wordfence did not alert us to vulnerabilities in several plugins and themes. It only flagged them as outdated and in need of updates. While we advocate for keeping sites updated, noting vulnerabilities typically prompts quicker action. It’s odd that this aspect wasn’t highlighted.

Overall, Wordfence still holds the second spot on this list, primarily because the other options are significantly worse. It’s a decent WordPress malware scanner plugin, but we wouldn’t rely on it entirely.

Features

1. Comprehensive dashboard
2. Automatic scans
3. Plugin-based scanner
4. Customizable scanning options

Pros

• Good file-based malware detection for free and open-source plugins and themes
• Customizable scan options
• Detects outdated core files, plugins, and themes
• Excellent documentation

Cons

• Missed malware in the site database
• Missed malware in premium plugins and themes
• Signature-based malware detection
• Free users receive access to the latest signatures 30 days late
• Performance impact on site and server
• Does not flag vulnerabilities

Pricing

• Free malware scanning; latest scan signatures available only to premium users.

Verdict

If MalCare didn’t exist, we would recommend Wordfence. Wordfence invests significant time and effort into security research, and much of that is reflected in their plugin. However, missed malware is a serious concern. Wordfence relies on a signature-matching database for malware detection, which often fails to catch new variants. Although Wordfence combats this with security research, the results are only immediately accessible to premium users, with free users waiting 30 days. Pricing strategies are challenging, so we understand the constraints.

3. Defender Security

Defender Security by WPMU DEV offers a free file integrity monitoring scanner that flags changes to files. After running a scan, you can immediately view a list of changed files. However, we observed that many intentional changes, such as custom code and files from other security plugins, were flagged as issues. This is concerning because most users, including us, may not fully understand how plugins are set up or which files they generate on a site.

The remainder of the scan report, including details on vulnerabilities, is behind a paywall. We cannot evaluate the full results of the scan without a paid subscription.

We purchased a plan and ran a new scan to see the results.

Immediately, we noticed that scanning for suspicious code and vulnerabilities was disabled by default. Scheduled scanning was also turned off. We enabled these features in the settings and initiated another scan.

The scan flagged some of the file-based malware, but not all of it. It missed the database malware and the malware in premium themes and plugins. On the plus side, there were no false positives, and all identified vulnerabilities were accurately flagged.

A noteworthy feature that sets Defender apart from other scanners is the addition of a notice to vulnerable plugins on the Plugins page. This prominent, contextual reminder helps ensure that vulnerabilities are addressed quickly.

One final point to note is that Defender’s support is among the best we have encountered.

Features

1. Malware scanner
2. Vulnerability detection
3. File integrity monitoring

Pros

• External dashboard for site management
• Detected most file-based malware
• Identified all vulnerabilities on the site
• No false positives
• Excellent support

Cons

• Did not detect database malware
• Missed some malware
• Scan results are a premium feature
• File integrity monitoring flags legitimate plugin files

Pricing

• File integrity monitoring is free; malware scanning is a premium feature with plans starting at $36 per year per site.

Verdict

In our view, any missed malware indicates a failed scanner. Defender missed about 30% of the malware on our test site, including a particularly nasty redirect infection. Normally, this would be a dealbreaker. However, Defender does offer a strong user experience for vulnerability management, albeit as a paid feature.

4. Sucuri

In a word, Sucuri was a disappointment. We had high expectations for the most popular WordPress security plugin, but the experience fell short.

Upon installing Sucuri, we received a clean report from the free version of the plugin. After further investigation, we realized that despite having installed the plugin, we were essentially only getting access to the online scan—similar to what SiteCheck offers. It’s a letdown.

We then upgraded to try the server-side scanner, which we were led to believe would be significantly more effective.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Both scanners indicated that our malware-infected site was free of issues, which was far from the truth (see MalCare and Wordfence results above).

Outdated plugins and themes are incongruously hidden in the Post-Hack tab. Additionally, there’s no indication of which updates are crucial due to the vulnerabilities they address. Strangely, our outdated WordPress version wasn’t flagged either. It seems Sucuri isn’t aware that over 95% of hacks are due to vulnerabilities.

The file integrity monitor did flag some differences in the core WordPress files and suggested we determine whether these were due to malware. This is far from ideal, as it requires a level of coding expertise that most users simply don’t have.

The final blow was that Sucuri flagged legitimate premium plugin and theme files as suspect, asking users to confirm whether these assessments were accurate.

If Sucuri expects users to have such discernment regarding malware, why would they need Sucuri at all?

Features

1. Server-side scanner
2. File integrity monitoring

Pros

• Unlimited on-demand scanning

Cons

• Free scanner is ineffective
• Premium scanner is also ineffective
• Missed malware

Pricing

• Free client-side scanner; premium server-side scanner.

Verdict

We struggled to find any positives with Sucuri’s malware scanner. Although we tested their malware removal service in another article and found it to be top-notch, relying on Sucuri’s scanners to identify malware would leave us in the dark. The only reason Sucuri isn’t further down this list is because their malware removal service and customer support are excellent. Otherwise, it would be at the bottom of the list with some other subpar options.

5. NinjaScanner

NinjaScanner may look unassuming, but it performed surprisingly well at detecting malware. (We’ve also tested their WordPress firewall plugin and found it to be one of the better options, though still not as good as MalCare.)

Initially, the scan options didn’t inspire much confidence. For reference, malware can hide in image files—think hacked favicon files—and doesn’t confine itself to small-sized files. The general rule is that malware can be anywhere on the site.

The scan report was thorough, to say the least

In the anti-malware section of the report, we were pleased to see that many infected files had been flagged. NinjaScanner even highlighted the problematic parts of the malware within these files. However, the highlighted portions were only fragments of the full script. While removing these fragments would significantly impair the script, it’s worth questioning why not eliminate the entire malicious script altogether.

Additionally, NinjaScanner doesn’t appear to scan the database for malware. This was notably absent from the report, and our test malware was missing from the list of detected malicious code.

Features

1. Malware scanner
2. Scheduled scans
3. File integrity checker
4. Blacklist scanner
5. Email reports
6. WP-CLI scanner

Pros

• Detected file-based malware in premium plugins and themes

Cons

• Missed some malware
• Did not scan the database for malware
• Flagged legitimate, harmless plugin files as suspicious
• No vulnerability checks
• Basic dashboard

Pricing

• Free on-demand malware scanner; to schedule regular automatic scans, upgrade to a plan starting at $19.50 per year.

Verdict

NinjaScanner is a no-frills WordPress malware scanner plugin. While it doesn’t catch all types of malware, particularly those in the database, it does effectively detect most file-based malware, outperforming many other scanners on this list. However, it surprisingly does not flag vulnerable plugins and themes, which was a notable oversight.

6. Malcure

Malcure scans both the files and the database of a WordPress site for malware. Upon installing the plugin, we were informed via an upgrade notice that the malware signatures were not up-to-date. To access the latest signatures, an upgrade was required. This approach is similar to Wordfence, which also restricts the latest security research to premium users.

The same concerns apply here: malware can worsen the longer it remains on a site. While we understand the need for a premium product, in our view, malware signatures should be available to all users.

After completing the Malcure scan, we could see issues listed in the report. Although the redirect hack—a particularly insidious form of malware—has its own section in the report, Malcure failed to detect it on our site.

Further down in the report, we were initially pleased to see a section dedicated to database malware. However, once again, the scanner failed to detect the malware we had inserted into the database.

The files marked as severe were genuinely problematic. Unfortunately, many of those labeled as unknown were also severely infected.

Finally, the list of file-based malware seemed a bit short. We’re assuming that the full report is available to paid users. Otherwise, the takeaway is that the scanner did not detect all the malware.

Features

1. Malware scanner
2. File change monitor

Pros

• Free malware scanner

Cons

• Latest malware signatures are a premium feature
• Uses signature-matching rather than signal-matching for detection
• Missed malware
• False positives

Pricing

• Free malware scanning; full scan report available starting at $149 per site per year.

Verdict

Malcure fell short as a WordPress malware scanner. Missing malware is a significant issue, as detecting malware is the core purpose of a scanner. Unfortunately, Malcure didn’t meet that essential requirement.

7. BulletProof Security

BulletProof Security, like many other WordPress malware scanner plugins, conflates file matching with malware scanning. This is a common but serious mistake.

File matching is just one method for detecting malware. It’s insufficient on its own, as it can result in false positives by flagging custom code and premium plugins or themes as malicious. Relying solely on file matching fails to account for the complexity and variety of malware.

The reason we emphasize this issue is that when we first ran a scan with BulletProof Security, it downloaded fresh installs of core files, plugins, and themes from the WordPress repository for comparison. It creates hashes of these files and stores these references on the server, consuming resources and using them for future scans.

BulletProof Security presents a mixed bag: on the one hand, it detected database malware that other plugins missed; on the other hand, it flagged numerous false positives due to its pattern matching approach. The security report even acknowledges that false positives are a common issue with their database scanner.

The file scanner report was plagued with false positives, making it difficult to use effectively. An admin shouldn’t have to sift through the report to distinguish between malicious and legitimate code, as this approach risks potential site crashes.

Features

1. Malware scanner
2. Scheduled scanner

Pros

• Detects file-based and database malware

Cons

• False positives
• Missed some malware
• No vulnerability scanner
• Potentially crashes the site
• Uses site resources for scanning
• Significant performance impact

Pricing

• Free scanner; all features available for unlimited sites with a one-time fee of $69.

Verdict

Despite detecting more malware than other plugins, BulletProof Security’s significant issue with false positives undermines its effectiveness.

8. Security Ninja

Security Ninja’s security tests initially appear to focus on hardening the site. However, there are dedicated tabs for vulnerabilities and malware, which is a reassuring feature.

First, we checked the malware tab. While free users couldn’t access detailed information, the list of suspicious files was visible. The results were mixed: Security Ninja flagged both file and database malware, but there were instances of missed malware and false positives.

To our surprise, the security report was presented as an image. It resembled a scan report but lacked the interactive and detailed elements one would expect from a comprehensive security tool.

We proceeded to purchase the pro version of the plugin, installed it, and activated it. Unfortunately, this caused the site to crash.

After some troubleshooting, we managed to get wp-admin back up. We finally ran a scan, but the results were mixed once again.

Security Ninja flagged only a fraction of the malware found in the files and missed all the database malware. Additionally, it incorrectly flagged legitimate plugin files as malicious.

The vulnerabilities tab reinforced our concerns. Although Security Ninja did identify some vulnerabilities in themes and plugins, it failed to catch them all.

Features

1. Malware scanner
2. Vulnerability scanner
3. Security check
4. Scheduled scans
5. Email reports

Pros

• Thorough security checklist
• Flagged some file-based malware

Cons

• Installation caused a critical error
• Malware scanner is a premium feature
• Missed some malware
• False positives
• Repeatedly crashes the site
• Vulnerability scanner failed to flag all vulnerabilities
• Confusing UI

Pricing

• Scanner available for $39.99 per site per year

Verdict

Security Ninja did not meet expectations and is a definite miss for us.

9. Jetpack

Let’s be honest: we expect solid performance from Jetpack. So, when the scanner failed to identify any malicious code—whether in the files or the database—it was disappointing.

That wraps up our review of the Jetpack malware scanner. What else is there to add?

Features

1. Automatic malware scanning
2. Threat notifications

Pros

• External dashboard

Cons

• Malware scanning is a premium feature
• Missed all malware

Pricing

• Plans with malware scanning start at $40 per year per site

Verdict

The Jetpack malware scan failed to detect any malware on our test site.

10. Security & Malware Scan by CleanTalk

We’re fans of CleanTalk’s anti-spam plugin, so adding their malware scanner to our review list was a must.

Before starting the scan, we took a look at the settings. It’s worth noting there’s a small, easy-to-miss option labeled “Cure malware.” We decided to leave this feature unchecked for now.

The scanner begins by hashing all core files, plugins, and themes from the repository. Generally, we’re not fans of file matching for malware detection, as it often results in a lot of false positives.

The results were disappointing. File-based malware was marked as merely suspicious rather than critical. Only one file was correctly flagged as infected, while a harmless MalCare file was incorrectly identified as infected. We’re glad we left the ‘Cure malware’ option unchecked, as it might have led to the deletion of legitimate plugin files. Additionally, no database malware was detected.

Features

1. Automatic scanning
2. Heuristic and signature-based analysis
3. File change detection

Pros

• Free malware detection

Cons

• Missed malware
• False positives
• Relies on file matching for scanning

Pricing

• Free malware scanner

Verdict

Security & Malware Scan by CleanTalk fell short of expectations. While their anti-spam plugin is aggressive and effective, the malware scanner was a major disappointment.

Key Considerations When Choosing the Best WordPress Malware Scanner Plugin

1. Functionality: Ensure the plugin is specifically designed to scan for malware. Many plugins may focus on other tasks like vulnerability scanning or file change detection, which, while useful, are not substitutes for dedicated malware detection.

2. Comprehensive Scanning: Evaluate whether the plugin performs full scans that cover the entire site, including files, themes, plugins, and the database. Online scanners can be limited, as they often can’t access server-side files.

3. Detection Accuracy: A good scanner should be thorough and leave no malware undetected, including backdoors and hidden threats. It should have zero tolerance for missed malware.

4. Detection Methods: Consider whether the plugin uses signature-based or signal-based detection. Signature-based methods may miss new or unknown malware, while signal-based detection is more dynamic and effective against emerging threats.

5. Beyond File Matching: Ensure the scanner doesn’t rely solely on file matching with repository code, as this can lead to false positives and miss malware in custom or premium themes and plugins.

6. Performance Impact: Remote scanners generally perform better as they don’t affect your site’s performance. Local scanning can slow down your site due to server resource usage.

7. Regular Scans: Opt for a scanner that offers automatic, scheduled scans to ensure continuous monitoring without manual intervention.

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Do You Need a Malware Scanner Plugin for WordPress?

Absolutely. No security system or firewall is foolproof. Even with robust firewalls, there’s always a risk of a security breach. A reliable malware scanner provides an additional layer of protection by regularly checking your site and alerting you to any issues. It’s crucial for maintaining the trust of your visitors, web hosts, and Google, which could otherwise penalize your site’s reputation.

What to Do If Your Scanner Detects Malware

If your scanner identifies malware, act quickly to address it. Follow a thorough malware removal guide to clean and secure your site. Time is critical when dealing with malware to prevent further damage.

Keeping your WordPress site secure from malware is challenging, especially if your scanner isn’t fully effective. Based on extensive testing, MalCare stands out as the top choice for a WordPress malware scanner. It provides a reliable and comprehensive solution for detecting and addressing malware issues.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scanning WordPress for Malware

Securing your website against hidden threats isn’t always straightforward—especially when malware can quietly infect your WordPress files or database without immediate signs. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned site owner, understanding how to properly scan WordPress for malware is essential for protecting your content, visitors, and reputation.

In this FAQ section, we’ve answered the most common questions website owners ask about malware detection, scanning tools, and effective cleanup methods. These insights will help you take the right steps toward keeping your WordPress site safe and clean.

1. How do I scan WordPress for malware and check if my site is infected?
To scan WordPress for malware effectively, install a trusted malware scanner plugin like MalCare. This tool thoroughly scans your site’s files and database to detect any malicious code or infections. While manual checks are possible, using an automated malware scanner ensures faster and more accurate detection.

2. How do I run a malware scan on my WordPress website?
To run a malware scan on WordPress, install a reliable scanner plugin such as MalCare. After setup, the plugin will automatically scan your site for malware and alert you to any threats. Regularly scanning your site helps catch malware before it causes serious damage.

3. What are the best ways to protect my WordPress site from malware?
Protecting your site starts with regular scans—make it a habit to scan WordPress for malware using plugins like MalCare. Additionally, keep your themes, plugins, and WordPress core updated, use strong passwords, and enable two-factor authentication to reduce malware risks.

4. Which free malware scanner plugin is the best for scanning WordPress for malware?
MalCare provides one of the best free options to scan WordPress for malware. It offers accurate scanning and security reports. For advanced malware removal and deeper scans, upgrading to a premium plan is recommended.

5. What is the best service to scan WordPress for malware?
MalCare is widely regarded as the top service to scan WordPress for malware due to its comprehensive scanning abilities, including file, database, and custom malware detection, along with easy-to-use cleanup tools.

6. My site was infected, but after I scan WordPress for malware, the plugin shows no issues. What should I do?
If your initial scan shows no malware despite infection symptoms, try scanning WordPress for malware with another plugin like MalCare. Some scanners may miss complex or database-based malware. A more robust scanner often uncovers hidden threats.

7. Is it a good idea to use multiple tools to scan WordPress for malware?
Using multiple malware scanners can cause conflicts and slow your site. It’s more effective to choose one trusted plugin, like MalCare, and focus on regular scanning and solid security measures.

8. How do I manage malware on a shared hosting server running multiple WordPress sites?
Immediately notify your hosting provider and scan WordPress for malware on all affected sites using a trusted scanner like MalCare. Follow cleanup instructions carefully, and strengthen your overall security to prevent re-infection.

9. What can I do if I encounter errors when scanning WordPress for malware?
Ensure your scanner plugin is properly installed and updated. If issues continue, reach out to support or try MalCare, known for reliable malware detection and easy use.

10. How can I scan the WordPress database specifically for malware?
To scan WordPress for malware within the database, use a plugin like MalCare that covers both files and database tables. This helps detect hidden malware that standard file-only scans might miss.

11. What is the right way to scan infected WordPress files for malware?
The best approach is to use a reputable scanner such as MalCare. After installation, initiate a full scan to detect malware in files and databases. This thorough method ensures all infected components are identified.

I need to know the right way to scan infected website files.

Use a reputable security plugin like MalCare to scan infected website files. After installation, initiate a scan to review your website’s files and identify any infected or suspicious files. MalCare also checks the database, as malware can often reside there too.

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