wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “login control”

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 “login control”, 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 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

Login rebuilder shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention 1M+ · 4.8★ (1488) wp.org #2 3

Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1549) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4

Content Control – The Ultimate Content Restriction Solution! Restrict Content, Create Conditional Blocks & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (575) wp.org #8 3 too low 6

Custom Login Page Customizer 50K+ · 4.9★ (476) wp.org #9 3 too low 7

Theme My Login 50K+ · 3.7★ (460) wp.org #7 ↓2 8

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #14 ↑4 6 too low 9

All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #4 5 too high 10

Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) not PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #13 2 too low 12

LoginPress | wp-login Custom Login Page Customizer 200K+ · 4.8★ (1077) not PHP-current wp.org #17 ↓2 5 too low 13

Custom Login Page Customizer 80K+ · 4.8★ (410) not PHP-current wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too low 14

WPO365 | SEAMLESS WORDPRESS + MICROSOFT INTEGRATION (WPO365 | LOGIN) 10K+ · 4.9★ (154) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 L Login rebuilder 20K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↑1 11 too high 18

Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #24 6 too low 19

Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↑1 4 too high 20

Melapress Login Security 3K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 3 too high 22

Teydea Login Customizer – Custom Login Page, Branding & Styling 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #22 23

Mediavine Control Panel 10K+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #19 4 too high 24

Menu Visibility Control 700+ · 5.0★ (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.