wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “malware scanning”

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 “malware scanning”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

DevDome Malware Scanner – WordPress Malware Removal & Security Scanner shows at wp.org #15 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 783 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★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #2 3

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4

Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too high 5

MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too low 6

Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7

Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (783) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8

Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning 30K+ · 4.8★ (1039) wp.org #13 5 too low 9

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #14 5 too low 10

Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 5 too high 11

Jetpack Protect 100K+ · 4.6★ (123) wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too high 12

Malcure Malware Shield — Removal, Repair, Monitor 10K+ · 4.4★ (74) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13

Quttera ThreatSign – Web Malware Scanner for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (47) not PHP-current wp.org #8 5 too high 14

NinjaScanner – Virus & Malware scan 40K+ · 4.0★ (36) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15

Jetpack VaultPress 10K+ · 3.8★ (72) wp.org #17 2 too low 16

Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #23 7 too low 17

Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security 100K+ · 4.8★ (62) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #22 5 too low 18

Atomic Edge Security – Firewall, Malware Scan and Login Security 700+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19

WebDefender Security – Protection & AntiSpam 1K+ · 4.0★ (18) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too low 20

BitFire Security – Firewall, Malware Scanner, Bot Blocker, Login Protection 300+ · 5.0★ (8) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓2 2 too high 21

Virusdie | One-click website security 2K+ · 4.0★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22

DevDome Malware Scanner – WordPress Malware Removal & Security Scanner 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too high 23

VulnTitan – Malware Scanner, Vulnerability Scanner & Security 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24

Cleverhog Malware Scanner 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #19 5 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.