Disable WP REST API
by Jeff Starr · Uncategorized
Also makes 30 other plugins · 1.1M+ installs across the portfolio →
Disables the WP REST API for visitors not logged into WordPress.
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 89/100
no flags
Active installs
30K+
≈33K estimated
Momentum
+7%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “json” for “route”. “json” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #19. “route” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 58 average across 25,734 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →6.8%
of downloads still active
At least 30K of 443.4K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,767 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized 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 4 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
Recent review vibe
read from the latest 12 reviews to 2025-09-08Reviewers like how small and no-fuss it is, with several noting it works right after activation, though a couple flag that blocking the REST API breaks plugins like Contact Form 7 that rely on it.
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
Well tuned across the board
Updated 82 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.8★ over 36 reviews, smoothed to 4.39★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
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.
58
Momentum
Gaining ground
+1.6
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
54%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+1.6
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| rest your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| rest api your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| wp rest api | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| json rest api | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| wp rest | #2 | #3 | up 1 |
| block rest api | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| api rest | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| remove rest api | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| disable json api | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| disable rest api | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| disable rest | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| api your tag | #4 | #2 | 0 |
| news api | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| wordpress rest api | #2 | #3 | up 1 |
| http api | #4 | #3 | up 2 |
| json api | #4 | #3 | 0 |
| no api | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| routes | #5 | #8 | up 2 |
| route | #5 | #8 | up 2 |
| disable your tag | #9 | #9 | up 4 |
143 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 100 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Swap “json” for “route”. “json” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #19. “route” sits at #5 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 24.8K · 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.
4
releases in the last 12 months
3mo ago
latest release · v2.6.9 · 10 Aug 2026
28
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 96% 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 “30K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 4 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 31% of the way through.
At the current install trend, crossing 40K+ in roughly 1189 days.
Install history since 1 Apr 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ pftsoi1.1y ago
good job
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ terrymason1.9y ago
just activate the plugin and it works.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wildstar20222.5y ago
I’ve tried many different solutions using functions.php because I did not want to install yet another plugin. I’m glad I found this one though. It’s simple, lightweight, maintains privacy, and functions with the latest version of WordPress. Thanks Jeff!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ metaeditor3.6y ago
In generel a Good security concept . But at the other end many plugin developer use the Rest API Could be done much easier with a 5 3 line htaccess rule to block only ^.*wp-json/wp/v2/(users But anyway a good solution if you have a simpel installation.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Hendrik573.7y ago
As the title says: Blocks Contact Form 7 forms sending after install and activate. This topic was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Hendrik57.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ tinaponting4.0y ago
Great plugin, takes nopower from the blog:) This topic was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by tinaponting. Reason: rest api This topic was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by tinaponting. Reason: spelling error
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ 7 Mysteries4.1y ago
Really simplified
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Eduard Doloc4.3y ago
while the plugin si deadsimple and very low resource impact, keep in mind that there are plugins that need the rest to work with no auth (ex. contact form 7).
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 8 languages, 2 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
6 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 Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ✓ Has a FAQ 8 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 8 of 8 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 Google Analytics, REST API.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 5 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 3,518 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-07-10 20K+ → 30K+ up after 12 days in tier
- 2026-06-28 30K+ → 20K+ down after 20 days in tier
- 2026-06-08 20K+ → 30K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-06-07 30K+ → 20K+ down after 47 days in tier
- 2026-04-21 20K+ → 30K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2026-04-19 30K+ → 20K+ down after 81 days in tier
- 2026-01-28 20K+ → 30K+ up after 495 days in tier
- 2024-09-20 10K+ → 20K+ up after 5 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).
-
Disable REST API 80K+ installs · 4.6★ · 4 shared tags D -
WordPress REST API (Version 2) 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 4 shared tags D -
WP REST API – OAuth 1.0a Server 7K+ installs · 3.8★ · 4 shared tags D - W WP REST API Meta Endpoints 1K+ installs · 3.6★ · 4 shared tags
-
Disable REST API for Real 200+ installs · 4.1★ · 4 shared tags D - W WP REST API Sidebars 90+ installs · 4.0★ · 4 shared tags D
Embed this report card
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<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/disable-wp-rest-api" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Disable WP REST API — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Disable WP REST API: 30K+ active installs, 4.8★ (36 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/disable-wp-rest-api
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