wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “invalid password”
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 “invalid password”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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
Teydea Password Reset – Force Password Reset & Expiration shows at wp.org #6 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 4132 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.
Password Protected 300K+ · 4.4★ (142)
wp.org #1 2 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039)
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1549)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992)
wp.org #4 ↓1 5 
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #12 ↓2 6 too low 7 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 
Frontend Reset Password 10K+ · 4.4★ (38)
wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too high 9 
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262)
wp.org #11 ↓4 2 too low 10 
Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259)
wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too low 11 
WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199)
wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too low 12 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #20 ↓2 8 too low 13 
Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475)
wp.org #18 ↑1 5 too low 14 
SureForms – Contact Form Builder, AI Forms, Payment Form, Survey & Quiz 500K+ · 4.8★ (102)
wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too low 15 
Invisible reCaptcha 70K+ · 4.3★ (133)
wp.org #16 1 too low 16 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #19 ↓4 3 too low 17 
JWT Authentication for WP REST API 60K+ · 4.4★ (53)
wp.org #22 ↓2 5 too low 18 
Authorizer 6K+ · 5.0★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓7 6 too low 19 
Password Reset with Code for WordPress REST API 800+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓3 2 too high 20 
Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix 400+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↓2 13 too high 21 
DoLogin Security 7K+ · 4.5★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #21 22 Teydea Password Reset – Force Password Reset & Expiration 500+ · 4.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #6 16 too high 23 
Password Protect – Temporary Login Without Password & Password Protect Entire Site 100+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓2 15 too high 24 
Knock First – Password Protect Your Site 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 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.