Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security
by Patchstack · Security
Patchstack automatically identifies and mitigates security vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins, themes, and core.
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
100K+
≈100K estimated
Momentum
-1%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “firewall”, “security” and “vulnerability” for “hardening”, “wordpress plugins” and “blocklist”. “firewall” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “hardening” sits at #7 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. “wordpress plugins” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “vulnerability” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #16. “blocklist” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 66 average across 1,777 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →13%
of downloads still active
At least 100K of 746.2K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,060 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 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
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 96 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
4.8★ over 62 reviews, smoothed to 4.49★
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.
45
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
34%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.0
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| virtual patching your tag | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| wordpress plugins | #8 | #17 | up 2 |
| hardening | #7 | #8 | down 1 |
| vulnerabilities your tag | #15 | #22 | 0 |
| vulnerability your tag | #16 | #20 | up 1 |
| blocklist | #11 | #9 | down 1 |
| hack | #17 | #16 | up 3 |
| plugin security | #11 | #15 | down 1 |
| wordfence | #19 | #16 | 0 |
| ad security | #12 | #17 | 0 |
| block hackers | #22 | #21 | up 2 |
| security plugin | #23 | #22 | up 1 |
| plugin vulnerability | #15 | #17 | up 1 |
| best wordpress security plugin | #20 | #24 | up 1 |
| wordpress security plugin | #22 | #24 | down 2 |
| wordpress core | #24 | #22 | 0 |
| virtual | #23 | #16 | down 3 |
| firewall your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
97 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 17 listed. 80 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “firewall”, “security” and “vulnerability” for “hardening”, “wordpress plugins” and “blocklist”. “firewall” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “hardening” sits at #7 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. “wordpress plugins” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “vulnerability” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #16. “blocklist” sits at #11 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 “vulnerabilities”. #15 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
- One page off on “vulnerability”. #16 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 54.6K · 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 · v2.3.7 · 28 Jul 2026
48
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 “100K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 8 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just over 100K.
At the current install trend, crossing 200K+ in roughly 442 days.
Install history since 18 Mar 2022
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Ideal Postcodes1.0y ago
Originally this was a 1 star review but triage team turned it around. Patchstack published CVE-2025-57923 and did not respond for a couple weeks while we actively tried to respond to a purported vulnerability. However the Head of Threat Intelligence at Patchstack reached out to us directly. We were able to communicate directly, understand the underlying concerns and he helped us resolve this issue within hours. Very helpful. Triage team obviously doing their best. Much credit to them. This topic was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by Ideal Postcodes. This topic was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by Ideal Postcodes. Reason: Patchstack have since reached out to quickly resolve this issue This topic was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by Steven Stern (sterndata).
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ robertozoll1.4y ago
Patchstack has been a great tool for keeping my WordPress sites secure. I really like the early vulnerability alerts and the virtual patching feature—it gives me peace of mind knowing that known issues are blocked even before plugins are officially updated. It’s lightweight, doesn’t slow down the site, and the dashboard makes it easy to monitor multiple installations. That said, it’s not a complete security suite—so I still use it alongside a firewall. But as a vulnerability monitor and patching layer, it works very well. Highly recommended.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Playzare1.7y ago
Was talking to their AI support and it automatically switched to human who solved my issue by herself. Never saw this ! perfect support, perfect tool for security combined with CF
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Sculley1.8y ago
Patchstack is a must have for security. Their support is awesome too!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ John Blackbourn1.8y ago
An excellent and valuable service that’s backed by a company that contributes a significant amount of resources and money directly back to the WordPress ecosystem.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jeff Mankini2.1y ago
I’ve been using Patchstack for a while now, and the service has been absolutely outstanding. I recently had the chance to meet the team at WCUS Portland, and they were just as impressive. It’s clear they are genuinely passionate not only about their product but also about the community they serve. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Patchstack continues to evolve into something even more remarkable.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ diffler2.1y ago
Patchstack gives me 100% peace of mind. With virtual patches I don’t need to worry about plugin vulnerabilities of unupdated sites. Patchstack feels light. I previously used WordFence, which really bogged down my sites. I have switched to paid version of Patchstack because it’s a small price to pay for not having to worry about anything.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ AnnaVanessa2.1y ago
best security solution on the market with an amazing team. Our Crocoblock team is proud to use it and to be sure our plugins are secure! This topic was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by AnnaVanessa. This topic was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by AnnaVanessa.
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 7 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 1 Nov 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 20 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 19 of 20 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("use it"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 5 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 5,300 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "firewall" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-24 80K+ → 100K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-10-23 70K+ → 80K+ up after 6 days in tier
- 2026-10-17 60K+ → 70K+ up after 44 days in tier
- 2026-09-03 50K+ → 60K+ up after 55 days in tier
- 2026-07-10 40K+ → 50K+ up after 126 days in tier
- 2026-03-06 30K+ → 40K+ up after 251 days in tier
- 2025-06-28 20K+ → 30K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2025-06-26 30K+ → 20K+ down after 1 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).
-
Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags A -
IP Geo Block 7K+ installs · 4.1★ · 3 shared tags D -
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention 1M+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/patchstack" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security: 100K+ active installs, 4.8★ (62 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/patchstack
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.