Solid Security became Kadence Security in May 2026. Liquid Web folded SolidWP into its Kadence product ecosystem. The real change isn’t the name. It’s that you can no longer buy just the security plugin. Solid Security Pro sold standalone at around $99/year. Its replacement, bundled into the Kadence Pro suite, runs $299/year. That price now includes a theme and page-builder tools you may not have wanted in the first place.
Quick Verdict
The underlying security features haven’t changed — this is a packaging and pricing shift, not a product downgrade. If you only ever wanted the security plugin, you’re now paying roughly 3x for a bundle that includes things you may not use. If you have an existing lifetime license, it keeps receiving critical security patches through April 2027, giving you real time to decide what to do next.
What Actually Changed
| Before (Solid Security) | After (Kadence Security) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sold as | Standalone security plugin | Bundled exclusively into the Kadence Pro suite |
| Price | ~$99/year (Pro, standalone) | $299/year (Kadence Pro bundle) |
| What’s included | Security features only | Security plugin + Kadence theme + Kadence Blocks Pro + Patchstack virtual patching + other ecosystem add-ons |
| Core security features | Same underlying functionality | Unchanged |
| Lifetime license holders | N/A | Continue receiving critical security patches through April 2027 |
Why This Happened
This is part of a broader consolidation. Liquid Web has been folding several sister brands under one unified product umbrella. This isn’t the plugin’s first name change, either — it went from iThemes Security to Solid Security before this. The stated goal is simplifying the company’s own portfolio, not improving the security product itself.
For a customer who only ever wanted the security plugin, the practical effect is simple: a meaningfully higher price, for capability you may never touch. That’s the actual thing worth reacting to here, not the rebrand itself.
What to Actually Do About It
- If you have a lifetime license, you’re covered with critical security patches through April 2027. There’s no urgency to decide anything right now. Use that runway to evaluate alternatives calmly, not under a deadline.
- If your annual license is up for renewal, check whether the Kadence Pro bundle’s other pieces — the theme, the page-builder blocks — have real value for your specific site. Don’t assume the security plugin alone justifies the new price.
- If you only want the security plugin, compare the new $299/year bundle against a dedicated, standalone security alternative instead. See our Sucuri vs Wordfence comparison for two options still sold purely as security products, not bundled suites.
- Don’t panic-migrate before checking your patch coverage window. The April 2027 date for lifetime licenses is a real, published deadline — plan around it deliberately rather than reacting immediately to the rebrand news itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kadence Security the same plugin as Solid Security?
Functionally, yes — the underlying security features are unchanged. What changed is how it’s sold: no longer standalone, only as part of the Kadence Pro bundle.
Can I still buy just the security plugin without the rest of the Kadence suite?
No — based on the current packaging, Kadence Security is sold exclusively as part of Kadence Pro, which bundles the theme, Kadence Blocks Pro, and other add-ons alongside it.
What happens to my existing Solid Security lifetime license?
It continues receiving critical security patches through April 2027 according to the announced timeline. After that point, you’d need to re-evaluate — either accepting the new bundle pricing or moving to a different security plugin.
Is the $299/year price worth it if I don’t need the theme or page builder?
That depends entirely on whether any other part of the Kadence Pro bundle has real value for your specific site. If not, a standalone security-only alternative is likely to be more cost-effective for your actual use case.
Did the actual security protection get better or worse?
Reporting indicates the underlying security functionality is unchanged by the rebrand — this is a commercial packaging and pricing change, not a feature or protection-quality change.
How We Assessed This
This reflects Liquid Web’s own announced May 2026 rebrand and current published Kadence Pro pricing, checked as of September 2026. Disclosure: this page contains no affiliate links.
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