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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “enforce rules”

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 “enforce rules”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

Teydea Login Security – Password Policy, Complexity Rules & Expiration shows at wp.org #2 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 19 places. Its 400+ 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

WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 1139 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #1 2 Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1072) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #7 ↑3 2 too low 6 Access Governance for WordPress (aka AAM) 100K+ · 4.2★ (420) wp.org #6 7 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #9 ↓2 2 too low 8 Min Max Quantities – Set Minimum/Maximum Quantity & Price Limits with Step Control for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.8★ (60) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 SilentShield – Captcha & Anti-Spam for WordPress (CF7, WPForms, Elementor, WooCommerce) 10K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click 100K+ · 4.8★ (1139) wp.org #24 ↓3 13 too low 12 Titan Anti-spam & Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA & Spam Filter 50K+ · 4.5★ (370) wp.org #19 ↓1 7 too low 13 Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418) wp.org #23 ↓3 10 too low 14 Tiered Pricing Table for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (104) wp.org #16 2 too low 15 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #21 ↑1 6 too low 16 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too high 17 Melapress Login Security 3K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Order Minimum/Maximum Amount Limits for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (40) wp.org #20 ↓1 2 too low 19 Password Policy Manager 6K+ · 4.4★ (14) wp.org #10 ↓1 9 too high 20 All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #18 ↑6 2 too high 21 Teydea Login Security – Password Policy, Complexity Rules & Expiration 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 19 too high 22 Order Limit for WooCommerce (Free Version) 800+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 Advanced Age Verification Popup 700+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 MH Free Gifts for WooCommerce 600+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #22 ↑1 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.