Security Header Generator
by Kevin Pirnie · Security
Also makes 2 other plugins · 1.5K+ installs across the portfolio →
This plugin generates the proper security HTTP response headers to keep your site secured.
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 86/100
Few reviews
Active installs
400+
≈490 estimated
Momentum
-35%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “permissions” and “security” for “header” and “generator”. “permissions” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “header” sits at #21 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. “generator” sits at #23 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
86 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.3%
of downloads still active
At least 400 of 30.3K lifetime downloads are still running, in line with 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 12 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 36 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 7 reviews, smoothed to 4.20★ 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.
38
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
18%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| permissions policy your tag | #2 | #10 | 0 |
| secured | #3 | #6 | 0 |
| content security policy your tag | #19 | #23 | down 3 |
| security headers your tag | #20 | #22 | down 2 |
| header | #21 | #22 | down 1 |
| generator | #23 | #21 | down 1 |
| secured wordpress | #12 | #20 | 0 |
| http header | #16 | #21 | down 2 |
| best content generator | #16 | #21 | up 2 |
| http security header | #17 | #21 | down 1 |
| site generator | #19 | #20 | 0 |
| headers security | #21 | #22 | 0 |
| wordpress http headers security | #23 | #22 | down 2 |
| permissions your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
68 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 13 listed. 55 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 “permissions” and “security” for “header” and “generator”. “permissions” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “header” sits at #21 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. “generator” sits at #23 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 1.5K · 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.
12
releases in the last 12 months
1mo ago
latest release · v6.1.04 · 25 Sep 2026
22
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. 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 “400+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 28 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 500.
Install history since 22 Mar 2022
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ sunb111mo ago
I was using another plugin that worked well overall, but it had a few limitations — the biggest being the inability to exclude the admin area from the policy. The old plugin applied CSP directly to the .htaccess file, which made editing straightforward, but that approach can also cause issues. I’m hopeful this plugin will continue to be updated and that not being able to see or manually edit the policy won’t cause problems down the line. Also, one thing I loved with the old plugin was the ability to receive email reports of violations. Hoping this becomes an option. Overall, great job! Edit: Dropping stars for now as finding some errors and lacking functions but will update if needed.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ JJulien2.4y ago
Recommend this
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jbi9112.5y ago
Very satisfied, thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Knut Sparhell3.3y ago
Works perfectly.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jonas3.9y ago
The plugin does what it promises. Thank you for this work.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ notmy4.9y ago
Easy and Fast configuration. Don’t block image and Divi This topic was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by notmy.
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
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
4 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 "This plugin generates the proper security HTTP response headers to keep your site secured."
- ✓ 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 Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 162 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "permissions policy", "Security Headers" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-03 500+ → 400+ down after 212 days in tier
- 2026-03-05 600+ → 500+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-03-04 500+ → 600+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2026-03-02 600+ → 500+ down after 5 days in tier
- 2026-02-25 500+ → 600+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-02-24 600+ → 500+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-02-23 500+ → 600+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2026-02-18 600+ → 500+ down after 8 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).
- C Content Security Policy Manager 2K+ installs · 4.0★ · 3 shared tags D
-
Restricted Site Access 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
GD Security Headers 1K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags B -
HTTP Security Header 1K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B -
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
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Security Header Generator into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/security-header-generator" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Security Header Generator — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Security Header Generator: 400+ active installs, 4.9★ (7 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/security-header-generator
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