wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “access login”
wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →
For “access login”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20.
wp.org search ranks on
Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.
We add
A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Login rebuilder shows at wp.org #14 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #1 2 
Limit Login Attempts Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA, Firewall & Login Security 1M+ · 4.8★ (1489)
wp.org #2 3 
WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1550)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
Login Lockdown & Protection 100K+ · 4.3★ (61)
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112)
wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too low 8 
Access Governance for WordPress (aka AAM) 100K+ · 4.2★ (420)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
Restricted Site Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (62)
wp.org #9 ↓1 10 
All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35)
wp.org #5 5 too high 11 
Force Login 30K+ · 4.8★ (101)
wp.org #12 ↑1 1 too low 12 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #20 ↓1 8 too low 13 
Remove Dashboard Access 30K+ · 4.6★ (78)
wp.org #11 2 too high 14 
Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 10K+ · 4.6★ (297)
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #18 ↑4 3 too low 16 
Custom Login Page Customizer 50K+ · 4.9★ (477)
wp.org #23 7 too low 17 
Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 
Login No Captcha reCAPTCHA 50K+ · 4.5★ (63)
wp.org #15 3 too high 19 
Clean Login 5K+ · 4.7★ (144)
wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too low 20 
Login as User: See the Site as Any User 30K+ · 4.8★ (41)
wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 
Easy Hide Login 20K+ · 4.4★ (43)
wp.org #16 5 too high 22 L Login rebuilder 20K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #14 8 too high 23 
FluentAuth – Login Security, Two-Factor Authentication, Passkeys & Social Login 10K+ · 4.1★ (35)
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
LWS Hide Login 20K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too high Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.