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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “data integrity”

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 “data integrity”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Integrity Checker shows at wp.org #5 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 783 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #3 4 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Username Changer 40K+ · 4.3★ (77) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too low 7 Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (783) wp.org #19 ↓1 12 too low 8 Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Cyr-To-Lat 300K+ · 4.7★ (98) wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too low 14 Visualizer – Tables & Charts Manager with Built-in AI Generator 20K+ · 4.4★ (225) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too low 15 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #14 ↑5 1 too high 16 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #21 ↑3 5 too low 17 Integrity Checker 200+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #5 12 too high 18 NinjaScanner – Virus & Malware scan 40K+ · 4.0★ (36) wp.org #15 3 too high 19 Cyr to Lat Enhanced 80K+ · 4.6★ (51) wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20 Lead Form Data Collection to CRM 400+ · 4.0★ (46) wp.org #11 9 too high 21 GravityWP – CSS Selector 4K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 تقویم فارسی – Persian Calendar 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 Guest Order Assigner 200+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 InTouch Integrity Guard 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 12 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.