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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “password protected posts”

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 “password protected posts”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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.

H

Ranked above its merit

Hidden Password Protected Pages shows at wp.org #5 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 600+ 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

Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 4132 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Password Protected 300K+ · 4.4★ (142) wp.org #1 2 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 PPWP – Password Protect Pages 30K+ · 4.7★ (271) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Contextual Related Posts 50K+ · 4.8★ (201) wp.org #7 ↑2 3 too low 5 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387) wp.org #12 7 too low 6 List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #10 ↓2 3 too low 8 WPEPP – Essential Security, Password Protect & Login Page Customizer 3K+ · 4.1★ (19) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #17 ↓1 8 too low 10 hCaptcha for WP 70K+ · 4.6★ (88) wp.org #14 ↑8 4 too low 11 Post Grid 30K+ · 4.3★ (163) wp.org #18 ↓1 7 too low 12 Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562) wp.org #20 ↓7 8 too low 13 Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) wp.org #16 ↑4 3 too low 14 WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content 10K+ · 4.2★ (60) wp.org #8 ↓2 7 too high 16 Post Duplicator 200K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too low 17 WebberZone Top 10 — Popular Posts 10K+ · 4.6★ (102) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 Hide Posts 20K+ · 4.7★ (22) wp.org #15 3 too high 19 Multiple Post Passwords 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix 400+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #6 ↑1 14 too high 21 Protect the Children! 1K+ · 4.9★ (15) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 H Hidden Password Protected Pages 600+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 17 too high 23 Password Protected Site and Store 90+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #13 ↑1 10 too high 24 Password Protect – Temporary Login Without Password & Password Protect Entire Site 100+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #23 1 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.