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← Rankings

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

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 “integrity”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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

Integrity Checker shows at wp.org #4 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 1039 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #1 2 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #2 3 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #7 ↑3 4 too low 4 All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (783) wp.org #11 ↓2 5 too low 7 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 Cyr-To-Lat 300K+ · 4.7★ (98) wp.org #8 ↓1 9 Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #10 ↑5 1 too low 10 Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning 30K+ · 4.8★ (1039) wp.org #23 ↓2 13 too low 11 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #9 ↑5 2 too high 12 Username Changer 40K+ · 4.3★ (77) wp.org #12 ↓4 13 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #13 14 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #24 ↓1 10 too low 15 WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #17 ↑5 1 too low 17 Integrity Checker 200+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #4 13 too high 18 Cyr to Lat Enhanced 80K+ · 4.6★ (51) wp.org #18 19 NinjaScanner – Virus & Malware scan 40K+ · 4.0★ (36) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too high 20 atec Cache APCu 3K+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #20 ↓3 21 atec Cache Info 1K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 تقویم فارسی – Persian Calendar 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 RSFirewall! 4K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #22 ↓3 1 too high 24 InTouch Integrity Guard 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↓4 9 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.