Block wp-login
by Oliver Campion · Security
Also makes 12 other plugins · 41K+ installs across the portfolio →
Blocks direct access to wp-login.php and replaces it with a secret login URL to reduce brute-force traffic on Apache servers.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 88/100
Few reviews
Active installs
600+
≈650 estimated
Momentum
+48%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “brute force”, “custom login url” and “hide login” for “secret”, “block bots” and “apache”. “brute force” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “secret” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “custom login url” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “block bots” sits at #19 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “hide login” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “apache” sits at #20 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →2.6%
of downloads still active
At least 600 of 23.4K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,059 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 5 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.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 23 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 9 reviews, smoothed to 4.19★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
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.
43
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 26d
31%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 26d
-0.9
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| secret | #10 | #15 | down 2 |
| apache | #20 | #20 | down 1 |
| wp login | #24 | #23 | — |
| login block | #9 | #22 | 0 |
| block login | #10 | #21 | up 7 |
| block login url | #11 | #22 | down 1 |
| block bots | #19 | #22 | up 2 |
| ip block | #19 | #20 | down 1 |
| brute force prevention | #11 | #13 | 0 |
| block ip | #21 | #20 | up 1 |
| block traffic | #14 | #23 | 0 |
| direct login | #13 | #20 | down 1 |
| brute force your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| custom login url your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| hide login your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| login security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
36 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 12 listed. 24 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “brute force”, “custom login url” and “hide login” for “secret”, “block bots” and “apache”. “brute force” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “secret” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “custom login url” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “block bots” sits at #19 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “hide login” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “apache” sits at #20 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 961 · 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
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
5
releases in the last 12 months
23d ago
latest release · v1.5.9 · 8 Oct 2026
40
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 98% 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 “600+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 23 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 23 Aug 2018
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ STIJL3.3y ago
After using other “hide login” alternatives with varied crappy results, webd’s Block wp-login actually works well and does what it needs to do without challenging the admin. If you want to hide your login – this is it.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ktk774.2y ago
The customized login URL stopped working, leading to a “403 Forbidden” page and locking me out of my site. I had to resolve the situation through my host, after which I got back into my dashboard and deactivated this plugin (which, as of this writing, hasn’t even been updated in 4 months). A highly inconvenient experience following several weeks of relatively smooth performance. User beware.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jimmy Lee4.5y ago
After being abandoned and not updated in 5 years, SF Move Login plugin finally started throwing me errors, started a quest to find another login security plugin written as smart or smarter than that little gem … FOUND IT! Really love your approach here, Scientifically Whitty! 5-Stars ALL DAY LONG! Thank you and Best Wishes!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ TrishaM5.8y ago
This plugin does exactly what I need it to do, it hides my login page, and doesn’t carry extra weight or complexity. I added this after I discovered a ton of (unsuccessful) attempts to hack into my site through the login process (in addition to requiring all my users to update their passwords to something much stronger). I realize where there is a will there is a way and I’ll still be at risk if one or more of my *users* gets hacked and their saved login link and credentials get stolen, but I sure sleep better at night now knowing that my site is just a bit safer.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ andybull8.8y ago
Adds a reassuring additional level of security against hackers
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ f5nn9s3f89.5y ago
A valuable tool to combat security issues facing WordPress users.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wchetwode9.5y ago
Works a treat, thanks for this clever plugin. Highly recommended !
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ domic23039.6y ago
great, easy and supportive.
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (1.5.9). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2019-06-27 Cross-Site Request Forgery Affects <= 1.3.0 Patched in 1.3.2
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 3 languages, 0 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
5 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Blocks direct access to wp-login.php and replaces it with a secret login URL to reduce brute-force traffic..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 7 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 Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 2 headings and 1 list.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,415 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 1 of 5 tags appear in the text ("Brute Force", "custom login url", "hide login", "login security" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-12-05 700+ → 600+ down after 7 days in tier
- 2024-11-28 1K+ → 700+ down after 5 days in tier
- 2024-11-23 900+ → 1K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2024-11-20 700+ → 900+ up after 58 days in tier
- 2024-09-23 600+ → 700+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2024-09-21 700+ → 600+ down after 6 days in tier
- 2024-09-15 600+ → 700+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2024-09-13 700+ → 600+ down after 9 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).
-
Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention 1M+ installs · 4.8★ · 3 shared tags A -
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
CloudSecure WP Security 100K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags A -
Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Block wp-login into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/block-wp-login" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Block wp-login — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Block wp-login: 600+ active installs, 4.7★ (9 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/block-wp-login
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.