Simple Disable XML-RPC
by Delower Hossain · Security
Also makes 4 other plugins · 1.9K+ installs across the portfolio →
Safely disable XML-RPC, block attacks with HTTP 403, stop pingback DDoS, and protect your WordPress site with a single click.
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
1K+
≈1.9K estimated
Momentum
+2%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “wordpress security”, “xml” and “xmlrpc” for “403”, “rpc” and “xml rpc”. “wordpress security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “403” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “xml” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “rpc” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “xmlrpc” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #11. “xml rpc” sits at #5 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 →9.2%
of downloads still active
At least 1K of 10.9K 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 2 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 3 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 5 reviews, smoothed to 4.18★ and held back under 25 reviews
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.
47
Momentum
Holding steady
+1.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 25d
25%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 25d
+1.3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| disable xml rpc your tag | #3 | #9 | up 7 |
| disable xml your tag | #4 | #15 | up 12 |
| xml rpc | #5 | #15 | up 9 |
| rpc | #5 | #15 | up 9 |
| xml rpc pingback | #3 | #8 | up 5 |
| remove xml rpc | #4 | #13 | up 4 |
| xmlrpc your tag | #11 | #13 | up 6 |
| ddos | #10 | #12 | down 4 |
| disable xmlrpc | #5 | #9 | up 2 |
| xml your tag | #17 | #22 | — |
| pingback | #17 | #21 | 0 |
| block xml rpc | #10 | #21 | 0 |
| site xml | #13 | #20 | 0 |
| 403 page | #14 | #20 | 0 |
| wordpress security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
50 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 14 listed. 36 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “wordpress security”, “xml” and “xmlrpc” for “403”, “rpc” and “xml rpc”. “wordpress security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “403” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “xml” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “rpc” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “xmlrpc” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #11. “xml rpc” sits at #5 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 “xmlrpc”. #11 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 13 Dec 2023 · 1,054 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 1.1K · 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
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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
2
releases in the last 12 months
3d ago
latest release · v1.4.1 · 28 Oct 2026
16
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 82% 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 “1K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 16 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 12 Dec 2023
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.8.3
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
8 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 "Safely disable XML-RPC, block attacks with HTTP 403, stop pingback DDoS, and protect your WordPress site wi..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 6 of 6 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("built for", "perfect for").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Jetpack, REST API, Multisite.
- ✓ Headings and lists 9 headings and 4 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 4,582 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
- 2025-06-24 900+ → 1K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2025-05-24 800+ → 900+ up after 34 days in tier
- 2025-04-20 700+ → 800+ up after 28 days in tier
- 2025-03-23 600+ → 700+ up after 20 days in tier
- 2025-03-03 500+ → 600+ up after 39 days in tier
- 2025-01-23 400+ → 500+ up after 59 days in tier
- 2024-11-25 300+ → 400+ up after 4 days in tier
- 2024-11-21 200+ → 300+ up after 21 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 XML-RPC-API 100K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B -
Simple XML-RPC Disabler 20+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
Simple XML-RPC Pingback Disabler 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags - D Disable XML-RPC 200K+ installs · 4.0★ · 1 shared tag B
-
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag A -
XML Sitemap & Google News 100K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Simple Disable XML-RPC into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/simple-disable-xml-rpc" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Simple Disable XML-RPC — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Simple Disable XML-RPC: 1K+ active installs, 5.0★ (5 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/simple-disable-xml-rpc
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