wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “google authenticator”

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 “google authenticator”, 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

FluentAuth – Login Security, Two-Factor Authentication, Passkeys & Social Login shows at wp.org #9 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.1★ average from 35 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 1039 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Google Authenticator 20K+ · 4.3★ (135) wp.org #1 2

WP 2FA – Two-factor authentication for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (184) wp.org #2 ↑3 3

miniOrange 2FA – Two Factor Authentication for WordPress (Passkey, OTP, SMS, Email, Google Authenticator) 10K+ · 4.5★ (385) wp.org #3 ↓1 4

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #4 ↓1 5

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #5 ↓1 6

Two Factor 100K+ · 4.7★ (209) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7

Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8

Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too low 9

Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning 30K+ · 4.8★ (1039) wp.org #17 7 too low 11

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #18 ↑6 6 too low 13

AJAX Login and Registration modal popup + inline form 3K+ · 4.7★ (120) wp.org #13 ↑9 14

Two Factor Authentication 20K+ · 4.4★ (77) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15

Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16

Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #10 6 too high 17

Titan Anti-spam & Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA & Spam Filter 50K+ · 4.5★ (370) wp.org #21 ↓2 4 too low 18

FluentAuth – Login Security, Two-Factor Authentication, Passkeys & Social Login 10K+ · 4.1★ (35) wp.org #9 ↑2 10 too high 20

Theme My Login 50K+ · 3.7★ (460) wp.org #24 ↓3 4 too low 21

All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #20 ↓11 1 too high 22

Atlant Security 800+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #22 23

Admin login URL Change 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↑1 8 too high 24

CloudSecure WP Security 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) host-installed base thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 8 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.