wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “invalid username”

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

Authorizer shows at wp.org #11 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 20 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 398 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #1 ↑1 2

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1550) wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4

Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 R Restrict Usernames Emails Characters 1K+ · 4.5★ (25) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 too high 6

Nextend Social Login and Register 200K+ · 4.9★ (447) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7

Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376) wp.org #9 ↓3 2 too low 8

Smart User Slug Hider 2K+ · 4.9★ (55) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too high 9

RegistrationMagic – Custom Registration Forms, User Registration, Payment, and User Login 7K+ · 4.5★ (459) wp.org #10 1 too low 10

JWT Authentication for WP REST API 60K+ · 4.4★ (53) wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11

Social Feed Gallery 80K+ · 4.5★ (303) wp.org #16 ↑1 5 too low 12

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (398) wp.org #19 7 too low 13

Jquery Validation For Contact Form 7 8K+ · 4.6★ (87) wp.org #12 ↑1 1 too high 14

Theme My Login 50K+ · 3.7★ (460) wp.org #14 ↓3 15

WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #17 2 too low 16

Admin Custom Login 10K+ · 4.6★ (388) wp.org #24 ↓4 8 too low 17

Frontend Reset Password 10K+ · 4.4★ (38) wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18

Authorizer 6K+ · 5.0★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓4 7 too high 19

User Login History 10K+ · 4.6★ (29) wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too high 20

Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #23 ↓1 3 too low 21

DoLogin Security 7K+ · 4.5★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓4 1 too high 22

Fetchify 600+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓4 1 too high 24

SmartSMTP 2K+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #21 3 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.