wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “event monitoring”
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 “event monitoring”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Activity Logs, User Activity Tracking, Multisite Activity Log from Logtivity shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection places #10 on merit, 4.6★ from 3992 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #1 2 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 
Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758)
wp.org #8 ↑6 2 too low 7 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too low 8 
WP Crontrol 300K+ · 4.4★ (167)
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 
NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220)
wp.org #13 ↓2 4 too low 10 Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992)
wp.org #18 ↓3 8 too low 11 
SEOPress – AI SEO Plugin & On-site SEO 300K+ · 4.8★ (1268)
wp.org #19 ↑1 8 too low 12 
Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #20 ↑1 7 too low 14 
UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber 800+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #4 10 too high 15 
Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101)
wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too low 16 
MainWP Child – Securely Connects to the MainWP Dashboard to Manage Multiple Sites 700K+ · 5.0★ (71)
wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too high 17 
MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559)
wp.org #23 6 too low 18 
Super Monitoring 50+ · 4.4★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↓1 12 too high 19 
Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157)
wp.org #15 ↑3 4 too high 20 
Titan Anti-spam & Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA & Spam Filter 50K+ · 4.5★ (370)
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 
Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27)
wp.org #17 ↑5 4 too high 22 
Code Profiler – WordPress Performance Profiling and Debugging Made Easy 8K+ · 4.3★ (36)
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too high 23 
All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35)
wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24 Activity Logs, User Activity Tracking, Multisite Activity Log from Logtivity 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 13 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.