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

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 “limiter”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 3 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

Limit Post Add-On shows at wp.org #11 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Adminify – White Label, Admin Menu Editor, Login Customizer places #4 on merit, 4.3★ from 109 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

WPS Limit Login 100K+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #5 3 too low 3

Adminify – White Label, Admin Menu Editor, Login Customizer 6K+ · 4.3★ (109) wp.org #10 ↑2 6 too low 5

WPEPP – Essential Security, Password Protect & Login Page Customizer 3K+ · 4.1★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #6 1 too low 6

Comment Limiter 30+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #1 5 too high 7

Sessions 900+ · 4.8★ (8) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #4 3 too high 8

Admin login URL Change 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #8 9

MB Text Limiter 300+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 6 too high 10

Atlant Security 700+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓2 7 too low 11

Simple Disable XML-RPC 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #12 1 too low 12

Japanized for WooCommerce 10K+ · 3.3★ (21) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 6 too low 13

Turbo Rate Limiter 60+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #9 4 too high 14

Bangladeshi Payments Mobile – MFS Gateway, QR Code, Advance COD Protection, Thermal POS Invoicing & WhatsApp Suite 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #16 2 too low 15

CAPI Suite: Meta Pixel, Pinterest & TikTok for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓4 7 too low 16

Simple File Upload Limiter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓5 1 too high 17

PDF Password Protect 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too high 18

AMSites Login Customizer 30+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19

Limit Post Add-On 300+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #11 8 too high 20

GlotCore History Limiter — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓4 1 too low 21

Numvra Login Attempt Limiter — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #23 2 too low 22

Section Collection – Add Ready-made Sections to Design Modern Websites 400+ · 5.0★ (1) heavy footprint thin reviews wp.org #19 3 too high 23

Best Seller for WooCommerce 70+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓4 3 too high 24

Image Converter & Optimizer 60+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓5

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.