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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “document protection”

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 “document protection”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Document Engine – Document Library, PDF Viewer & Post to PDF shows at wp.org #7 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 100+ 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

Download Monitor places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 525 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 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1668) wp.org #1 2 Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading 9K+ · 4.9★ (120) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution 100K+ · 4.8★ (441) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Download Manager 100K+ · 4.1★ (1006) wp.org #9 ↑2 5 too low 5 PDF Ink Lite – Free PDF Watermark & Password Protection 2K+ · 4.6★ (51) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Filr – Secure document library 700+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 GDPR Cookie Compliance – Cookie Banner, Cookie Consent, Cookie Notice for CCPA, EU Cookie Law 300K+ · 4.6★ (205) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 Document Library Lite 4K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #3 ↓1 5 too high 9 Document Viewer – let visitors view files right in the browser 2K+ · 4.7★ (52) wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too high 10 EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307) wp.org #12 ↓5 2 too low 11 Germanized for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (496) wp.org #17 ↑2 6 too low 12 Download Monitor 80K+ · 4.5★ (525) wp.org #19 ↓2 7 too low 13 Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 10K+ · 4.6★ (297) wp.org #20 ↑2 7 too low 14 Bit Form – Contact Form, Payment Forms, Multi Step Forms, Calculator & Custom Form Builder 10K+ · 5.0★ (259) wp.org #24 10 too low 15 hCaptcha for WP 70K+ · 4.6★ (88) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158) wp.org #21 5 too low 17 Page scroll to id 100K+ · 4.9★ (225) wp.org #18 ↑2 1 too low 18 PDF Poster – Let visitors read PDF’s without leaving the page 20K+ · 4.5★ (149) wp.org #22 ↓4 4 too low 19 CopySafe PDF Protection – Copy Protect PDF 300+ · 3.9★ (14) wp.org #11 ↑1 8 too high 20 SafeGuard Media Protection 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 FileDeck – Document Library & Download Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Free Cookie Notice & Consent Banner for Privacy Compliance (GDPR, CCPA, DSGVO and others) 7K+ · 4.0★ (16) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Document Engine – Document Library, PDF Viewer & Post to PDF 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑1 16 too high 24 CopySafe Web Protection – Copy Protect Images 800+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #14 10 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.