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

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 “hst”, 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

WP Guardian – Security Hardening Checklist & Lightweight Firewall shows at wp.org #14 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 100+ 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.

Buried gem

WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect places #3 on merit, 4.9★ from 1146 reviews, but shows at wp.org #7. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #1 2 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 WP Force SSL & HTTPS SSL Redirect 80K+ · 4.7★ (179) wp.org #5 6 Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL) 100K+ · 4.2★ (71) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 HSTS Ready 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too high 10 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #10 ↓1 11 NETSENSAI Shield 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 Atlant Security 700+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 phpinfo() WP – Site Health, PHP Compatibility & Server Audit 3K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 HTTP Security Header 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #13 1 too high 15 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #22 ↓2 7 too low 16 Blaminhor Essentials – SEO, Cache, Backup, SMTP, Redirects, Broken Links, Cookie Banner, Hide Login & More 90+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 ↑4 4 too low 17 Performance & Security 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Zen Site Security 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 Security Headers 800+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 FizzyTech HST Calculator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Ontario HST Calculator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 Simple SSL Redirects 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 WP Guardian – Security Hardening Checklist & Lightweight Firewall 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 HT Security 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓1 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.