wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “email blocking”
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 “email blocking”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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
Gravity Forms Email Blacklist shows at wp.org #9 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 15 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 1720 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More 4M+ · 4.8★ (5209)
wp.org #1 2 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221)
wp.org #2 3 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #3 4 
Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 
Email Subscribers & Newsletters by Icegram Express – Email Marketing, Post Notifications & WooCommerce Marekting Automation for WordPress 50K+ · 4.6★ (1170)
wp.org #5 6 
Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701)
wp.org #6 ↓2 7 
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too low 8 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #10 ↓2 2 too low 9 
Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning 30K+ · 4.8★ (1039)
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 
WebToffee eCommerce Marketing Automation – Email marketing, Popups, Email customizer 10K+ · 4.8★ (54)
wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too high 11 
Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033)
wp.org #14 ↑3 3 too low 12 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #16 ↓2 4 too low 13 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #20 7 too low 14 
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) – Email Newsletter, Email Marketing, Membership, Subscribers and Landing Pages 40K+ · 4.8★ (90)
wp.org #17 ↓2 3 too low 15 
Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention 1M+ · 4.8★ (1489)
wp.org #24 ↓4 9 too low 16 
SureCookie – GDPR Cookie Consent Banner, Cookie Scanner & Script Blocking 70K+ · 4.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too high 17 
Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120)
wp.org #21 ↓2 4 too low 18 Gravity Forms Email Blacklist 10K+ · 4.3★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓2 9 too high 19 
Customer Email Verification for WooCommerce – OTP Verification, Block Fake Signups 2K+ · 4.2★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓4 4 too high 20 
WP-EMail 1K+ · 4.5★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #13 7 too high 21 
MC4WP: Mailchimp Top Bar – Email Subscribe Notification Bar 6K+ · 4.6★ (31)
wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 
WP Email Template 2K+ · 3.1★ (35)
wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too high 23 
Clearout Email Validator – Real-Time Email Verification on WordPress Forms 500+ · 4.2★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 
Advanced Email Filter for Elementor Forms 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.