Search Exclude

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

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

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 69% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.

No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A declining trend compresses what a buyer would pay.

1. ★★★★★ moshade

   2mo ago

   Does what it needs to do. Good and fit for purpose. I can hide pages and make sure its specific for an invited audience only.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ paulroberts

   5mo ago

   Great plugin

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ paarseolifant

   7mo ago

   It took me literally years to find out that (for instance) the download pages of my freebies could and would come up in every search result on my page. Thanks to this plugin they don’t anymore and it was a breeze to install and to implement, so all 5 stars: well deserved! This topic was modified 5 months, 2 weeks ago by paarseolifant.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ onestudioteam

   9mo ago

   Very helpful plugin

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ mrebel

   9mo ago

   This plugin is THE key to helping our website visitors and customers find what they are looking for. (By blocking all the less important pages that happen to contain popular keywords.)

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ manjas

   9mo ago

   Really great if you don’t want (part of) your site indexed by search engines.

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ stanleyboise

   9mo ago

   This plugin is a must have.

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ Michael Kavanagh

   9mo ago

   Works perfectly.

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 2.6.5 WordPress 7.0 compatibility 2.6.5
2. — Version 2.6.4 fix: include post types with exclude_from_search=false in search exclude settings 2.6.4
3. — Version 2.6.3 fix: php errors 2.6.3
4. — Version 2.6.2 Custom post type compatibility 2.6.2
5. — Version 2.6.1 fix: REST API permission error for Editors in Block Editor 2.6.1
6. — Version 2.6.0 WordPress compatibility 2.6.0

4 disclosed vulnerabilities on record for this plugin, all fixed in the current version. Sites on older versions stay exposed until they update.

1. Medium · 4.3 Search Exclude <= 2.5.7 – Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Contributor+) Search Settings Modification via REST API ↗
   2025-11-24 CVE-2025-10646 Missing Authorization Affects <= 2.5.7 Patched in 2.5.8
2. Medium · 5.3 Search Exclude <= 2.4.9 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Plugin Settings Modification ↗
   2025-05-06 CVE-2025-2821 Missing Authorization Affects <= 2.4.9 Patched in 2.5.0
3. Medium · 5.5 Search Exclude <= 1.2.6 - Authenticated (Editor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗
   2022-08-22 CVE-2022-36282 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects <= 1.2.6 Patched in 1.2.7
4. High · 7.5 Search Exclude <= 1.2.3 - Arbitrary Settings Change ↗
   2019-09-07 CVE-2019-15895 Missing Authorization Affects < 1.2.4 Patched in 1.2.4

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1

Translated into 11 languages, 2 at 90% or more

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2025-08-16 60K+ → 50K+ down

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).

• Exclude Search 70+ installs · 3.9★ · 3 shared tags B
• Site Search 360 400+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
• Easy Full Screen Search 20+ installs · 3.7★ · 2 shared tags D
• Search Regex 100K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A
• Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag A
• Search & Replace 100K+ installs · 4.3★ · 1 shared tag C

Embed this report card

Drop a live Pulse card for Search Exclude into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

Search Exclude: 50K+ active installs, 4.8★ (217 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-25. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/search-exclude