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

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 limits”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Persistent Login shows at wp.org #17 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 5K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.9★ average from 26 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 #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. 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★ (5038) 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

WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111) wp.org #4 1 too low 4

WPS Limit Login 100K+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #3 1 too high 5

Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1549) wp.org #8 3 too low 6

WP Limit Login Attempts 10K+ · 4.6★ (300) wp.org #7 1 too low 7

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #12 ↑3 5 too low 8

WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection 10K+ · 4.6★ (213) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9

FluentAuth – Login Security, Two-Factor Authentication, Passkeys & Social Login 10K+ · 4.1★ (35) wp.org #5 4 too high 10

Theme My Login 50K+ · 3.7★ (460) wp.org #10 ↓1 11

Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too low 12

All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #6 6 too high 13

Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143) wp.org #22 8 too low 15

LoginPress | wp-login Custom Login Page Customizer 200K+ · 4.8★ (1077) not PHP-current wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #24 7 too low 18

Admin Custom Login 10K+ · 4.6★ (388) wp.org #23 5 too low 19

Melapress Login Security 3K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓2 6 too high 20

Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too high 22

Magic Login – Magic Link & Passwordless Authentication for WordPress – Login Without Password 3K+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too high 23

Persistent Login 5K+ · 3.9★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #17 ↓1 7 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.