wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “content locking”

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 “content locking”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 3 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

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 it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Init Ad Engine – Flexible, Multi-Format, Secure shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 70+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 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 #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking 20K+ · 4.3★ (62) wp.org #1 2

WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #2 3

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4

WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199) wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too low 5

Brave – Create Popup, Optins, Lead Generation, Survey, Sticky Elements & Interactive Content 20K+ · 4.8★ (209) wp.org #12 ↑5 7 too low 6

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #17 ↑2 11 too low 7

Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #16 ↓1 9 too low 8

Content Update Scheduler 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #3 5 too high 9

User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112) wp.org #11 ↑1 2 too low 10

Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current wp.org #10 11

BotWriter – AI Writer & SEO Content Generator 1K+ · 4.4★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↑1 5 too high 12

Password Protected 300K+ · 4.4★ (142) wp.org #15 ↓11 3 too low 13

W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #24 11 too low 14

Wallet for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (188) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 15

Content Mask 1K+ · 5.0★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #5 ↑1 10 too high 16

MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. 10K+ · 4.8★ (438) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17

Icegram Engage – Popups, Welcome Bars, Optins, Slide-Ins & Lead Generation for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (370) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #22 ↓1 5 too low 18

WPHH SECURE – AIO WordPress Security With File Locking & WP Hide Login 100+ · 5.0★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #13 5 too high 19

Subscriptions for WooCommerce Recurring Payments with Membership Content Restriction 500+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓2 1 too high 20

Convertful – Your Ultimate On-Site Conversion Tool 3K+ · 4.3★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21

SureMembers – Membership & Content Restriction Plugin 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #9 ↑2 12 too high 22 Z Zone Manager (Zoninator) 2K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23

Init Ad Engine – Flexible, Multi-Format, Secure 70+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #8 ↑1 15 too high 24

WP Secure Content 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #20 4 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.