wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “disable json api”
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 “disable json api”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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
SMNTCS Disable REST API User Endpoints shows at wp.org #4 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 8K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Translate WordPress with GTranslate places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 4962 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Disable WP REST API 30K+ · 4.8★ (36)
wp.org #1 2 
Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281)
wp.org #2 3 
Disable Bloat for WordPress & WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.8★ (100)
wp.org #5 2 too low 4 
Disable XML-RPC-API 100K+ · 4.2★ (43)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #11 6 too low 6 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #10 ↑2 4 too low 7 
JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs 10K+ · 4.4★ (74)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #14 ↑1 6 too low 9 
Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too low 10 
WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API 10K+ · 5.0★ (32)
wp.org #7 3 too high 11 
Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726)
wp.org #15 ↑2 4 too low 12 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #16 ↓3 4 too low 13 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1915)
wp.org #19 ↑5 6 too low 14 
All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Contact Form to Any API 8K+ · 5.0★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 8 too high 17 
WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346)
wp.org #20 3 too low 18 
Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373)
wp.org #23 5 too low 19 
Redirection 2M+ · 4.4★ (703)
wp.org #24 ↓4 5 too low 20 
WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↑2 2 too high 21 R REST API Log 5K+ · 3.6★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #9 12 too high 22 SMNTCS Disable REST API User Endpoints 8K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #4 18 too high 23 
REST API Guard 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↑6 11 too high 24 
Connect WPForm to Any API 100+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 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.