Advanced Country Blocker
by brstefanovic · Security
An advanced security plugin that blocks website visitors by country, with additional features like blacklisting, logging blocked attempts, admin bypas …
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Health
B 79/100
Few reviews
Active installs
2K+
≈2.8K estimated
Momentum
+14%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “blocking”, “geolocation” and “security” for “blocker”, “country blocking” and “blocklist”. “blocking” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “blocker” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “geolocation” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “country blocking” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “blocklist” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
79 health vs 66 average across 1,779 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →12%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 16.1K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,061 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Security plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 3 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 269 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.9.11; the current branch is 7.1
5.0★ over 6 reviews, smoothed to 4.20★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
31
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.7
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
5%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.6
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| country blocker | #3 | #8 | down 1 |
| blocker | #8 | #11 | down 2 |
| country block | #7 | #13 | down 1 |
| country your tag | #13 | #18 | 0 |
| country blocking | #8 | #18 | up 1 |
| site blocker | #6 | #10 | down 1 |
| ip blocking your tag | #19 | #20 | down 1 |
| ip blocker | #11 | #11 | down 2 |
| wordpress ip blocker | #12 | #14 | down 2 |
| blocklist | #24 | #18 | 0 |
| ip to country | #14 | #18 | 0 |
| ip country | #15 | #18 | 0 |
| country ip | #16 | #19 | 0 |
| blocking your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| geolocation your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
47 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 13 listed. 34 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “blocking”, “geolocation” and “security” for “blocker”, “country blocking” and “blocklist”. “blocking” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “blocker” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “geolocation” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “country blocking” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “blocklist” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “country”. #13 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 10 Dec 2024 · 693 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 2.9K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
3
releases in the last 12 months
9mo ago
latest release · v2.3.2 · 6 Feb 2026
9
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 91% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 10 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 80% of the way through.
Install history since 9 Dec 2024
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.3.2 Bug fixes and security audit fix 2.3.2
- — Version 2.3.1 Hotfix for Databases not being downloaded 2.3.1
- — Version 2.3.0 New: Added CAPTCHA Challenge feature allowing blocked visitors to verify via CAPTCHA to gain temporary access New: Added Real-Time Activity Monitor with live visitor tracking, recent blocks, and traffic statistics New: A 2.3.0
- — Version 2.2.0 Added an optional local MaxMind GeoLite2 (or compatible) database lookup while keeping the ip-api.com integration as the default method. Added settings fields to choose the lookup method, configure the path to the .mmdb 2.2.0
- — Version 2.1.0 Added a fully customisable block page (title, message placeholders, and selectable HTTP status code). Added optional redirect behaviour with configurable status codes for blocked visitors. Added a trusted IP list to bypa 2.1.0
- — Version 2.0.4 Tested with latest WordPress version 2.0.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (2.3.2). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 5.3 Advanced Country Blocker <= 2.3.1 - Unauthenticated Authorization Bypass via Insecure Default Secret Key ↗2026-02-06 CVE-2026-1675 Initialization of a Resource with an Insecure Default Affects <= 2.3.1 Patched in 2.3.2
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 1 language, 1 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "An advanced security plugin that blocks website visitors by country, with additional features like blacklis..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 10 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 10 of 10 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Cloudflare.
- ✓ Headings and lists 2 headings and 1 list.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,478 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "blocking", "IP-blocking" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-01-14 1K+ → 2K+ up after 98 days in tier
- 2025-10-08 900+ → 1K+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2025-10-03 800+ → 900+ up after 8 days in tier
- 2025-09-25 700+ → 800+ up after 12 days in tier
- 2025-09-13 600+ → 700+ up after 18 days in tier
- 2025-08-26 500+ → 600+ up after 18 days in tier
- 2025-08-08 400+ → 500+ up after 65 days in tier
- 2025-06-04 300+ → 400+ up after 45 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
User IP and Location 3K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
CloudGuard 1K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
IP Locator 500+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags A -
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag A -
Hostinger Tools 3M+ installs · 3.6★ · 1 shared tag B -
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ installs · 4.9★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Advanced Country Blocker into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/advanced-country-blocker" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Advanced Country Blocker — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Advanced Country Blocker: 2K+ active installs, 5.0★ (6 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/advanced-country-blocker
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