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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “headers”

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 “headers”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Insert Headers and Footers Code – HT Script shows at wp.org #9 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 7K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 8 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916) wp.org #1 2 Insert Headers And Footers 200K+ · 5.0★ (135) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 HTTP Headers 40K+ · 4.3★ (70) wp.org #2 ↑3 1 too high 4 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 U Unique Headers 10K+ · 4.9★ (160) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too high 6 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too low 8 Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763) wp.org #13 ↓5 5 too low 9 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #12 ↑1 3 too low 10 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #18 ↑4 7 too low 12 Header Footer Code Manager 600K+ · 4.9★ (309) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 Sticky Header Effects for Elementor 300K+ · 4.5★ (69) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #23 ↑1 9 too low 15 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #21 ↓1 6 too low 16 Woody Code Snippets – Insert PHP, CSS, JS, and Header/Footer Scripts 50K+ · 4.5★ (221) wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too low 17 Redirection 2M+ · 4.4★ (703) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too low 18 FluentSnippets – High-Performance Code Snippets, Header & Footer Code, Custom CSS & PHP Code Manager 50K+ · 4.7★ (78) wp.org #24 ↓3 6 too low 19 Insert Headers and Footers Code – HT Script 7K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #9 ↑2 10 too high 20 Header and Footer Scripts 200K+ · 4.6★ (58) wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 W WP Display Header 7K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 Header Footer Builder for Elementor 30K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too high 23 GD Security Headers 1K+ · 4.0★ (8) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Security Headers 800+ · 3.0★ (2) 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.