wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “hide version”
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 version”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
My Wp Brand – Hide menu & Hide Plugin shows at wp.org #13 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications places #7 on merit, 4.7★ from 367 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.
WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111)
wp.org #1 2 
Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Hide Posts 20K+ · 4.7★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #4 5 
Version Info – Server Health Monitor, PHP & MySQL Version Display, Environment Indicators 10K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #5 6 
Hide Page And Post Title 40K+ · 3.6★ (54)
wp.org #6 7 Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications 100K+ · 4.7★ (367)
wp.org #17 ↓1 10 too low 8 
WC Hide Shipping Methods 20K+ · 4.2★ (44)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
LWS Hide Login 20K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 10 
Auto Hide Admin Bar 3K+ · 4.8★ (32)
wp.org #14 4 too low 11 
MM Title Manager — Hide Page and Post Titles 10K+ · 4.4★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #11 12 
Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↑2 5 too high 13 
Hide/Remove Metadata 20K+ · 3.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 5 too high 14 
Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins 10K+ · 4.3★ (30)
wp.org #18 4 too low 15 
Hide Tooltips on Hover – Clean Up Title Attributes Without Losing Accessibility 4K+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #15 16 
Hide Dashboard Notifications 20K+ · 3.9★ (33)
wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17 
Hide Cart Functions 3K+ · 4.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
WP Hide Post — Hide Posts, Pages, Custom Post Types, and Control Products Visibility for WooCommerce 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #12 6 too high 19 
Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles – Disable the WordPress Toolbar by Role or Capability 20K+ · 3.9★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too low 20 
Hide from Search 3K+ · 4.4★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 My Wp Brand – Hide menu & Hide Plugin 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #13 8 too high 22 
Hide Trackbacks 300+ · 4.7★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 too low 23 
Hide Price and Add to Cart for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 
Hide Archive Label 900+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.