Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “geo security”

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 “geo security”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Geo to Lat shows at wp.org #11 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 500+ 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

CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (Easy to setup GDPR/CCPA Compliant Cookie Notice) places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 3236 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #1 2 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #2 3 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #5 ↑2 2 too low 4 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #6 ↑4 2 too low 5 GEO my WP 3K+ · 4.6★ (139) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO 30K+ · 4.6★ (683) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too low 7 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps 30K+ · 4.4★ (65) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too low 9 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #3 6 too high 10 Melapress Login Security 3K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #7 ↓2 3 too high 11 CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (Easy to setup GDPR/CCPA Compliant Cookie Notice) 1M+ · 4.8★ (3236) wp.org #21 ↑1 10 too low 12 GetGenie – AI SEO Assistant & Content Writer with Keyword Research, AEO & GEO 70K+ · 4.8★ (119) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too low 13 WP fail2ban – Advanced Security 60K+ · 4.2★ (71) wp.org #13 14 Geo Mashup 1K+ · 4.7★ (33) wp.org #8 ↓2 6 too high 15 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too low 16 Geo Controller – Geolocation & Geotargeting 1K+ · 4.4★ (31) wp.org #19 3 too low 17 DoLogin Security 7K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Visibility – Lightweight SEO, AEO and GEO for Search and AI 600+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too high 19 Geo to Lat 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 WorkflowDone Geo Blocker 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 LovedByAI – GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) & AI SEO Plugin: AEO, llms.txt 1K+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 MatrixMap – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Store Locator & World Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too high 23 ByTheWeb GEO – AI Visibility & SEO Toolkit 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↑2 1 too high 24 Geo Blocker – Control Site Access by Region and IP 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 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.