wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “hide admin”
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 “hide admin”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 2 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
Hide WP Admin Notifications shows at wp.org #11 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 3K+ 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.
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #1 2 
WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111)
wp.org #2 3 
Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications 100K+ · 4.7★ (367)
wp.org #3 4 
Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373)
wp.org #7 3 too low 5 
Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins 10K+ · 4.3★ (30)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312)
wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7 
Auto Hide Admin Bar 3K+ · 4.8★ (32)
wp.org #5 2 too high 8 
WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↑3 2 too high 9 
Hide Admin Bar 20K+ · 4.5★ (30)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
Easy Hide Login 20K+ · 4.4★ (43)
wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too low 11 
Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles – Disable the WordPress Toolbar by Role or Capability 20K+ · 3.9★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too high 12 
Hide Posts 20K+ · 4.7★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too low 13 
Hide admin notices – Admin Notification Center 7K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑1 14 
Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #23 9 too low 15 
Admin Notices Manager 10K+ · 4.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #18 3 too low 16 
Easy Hide Admin Menu Items 1K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 
Admin Bar Editor – Toolbar Customization with User Role based access & Custom menus 3K+ · 4.4★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓4 1 too high 18 
WC Hide Shipping Methods 20K+ · 4.2★ (44)
wp.org #24 6 too low 19 
LWS Hide Login 20K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #19 20 
Hide Admin Menu 10K+ · 4.9★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓2 2 too low 21 
Hide/Remove Metadata 20K+ · 3.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑1 22 
Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too high 23 Hide WP Admin Notifications 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #11 12 too high 24 
Hide Admin Icons 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #17 7 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.