wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “hide wordpress 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 wordpress version”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.
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
Hide/Remove Metadata shows at wp.org #11 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.6★ average from 14 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 1917 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. 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 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157)
wp.org #2 3 
Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373)
wp.org #3 4 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323)
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4229)
wp.org #10 ↑5 3 too low 8 
Hide Posts 20K+ · 4.7★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
Disable All WordPress Updates 20K+ · 4.8★ (69)
wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too low 10 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1917)
wp.org #20 ↓2 10 too low 11 
Version Info – Server Health Monitor, PHP & MySQL Version Display, Environment Indicators 10K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too high 12 
Hide Page And Post Title 40K+ · 3.6★ (54)
wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too high 13 
WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199)
wp.org #23 ↓1 10 too low 14 
FancyBox for WordPress 30K+ · 4.6★ (92)
wp.org #17 ↑2 3 too low 15 
Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154)
wp.org #24 ↓1 9 too low 16 
WC Hide Shipping Methods 20K+ · 4.2★ (44)
wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 
Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157)
wp.org #18 1 too low 18 
LWS Hide Login 20K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↑1 6 too high 19 
Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.0★ (25)
wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too high 20 
Auto Hide Admin Bar 3K+ · 4.8★ (32)
wp.org #22 ↑2 2 too low 21 
MM Title Manager — Hide Page and Post Titles 10K+ · 4.4★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑1 5 too high 22 Hide/Remove Metadata 20K+ · 3.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #11 11 too high 23 
Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles – Disable the WordPress Toolbar by Role or Capability 20K+ · 3.9★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 
WP Hide Post — Hide Posts, Pages, Custom Post Types, and Control Products Visibility for WooCommerce 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↑1 5 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.