wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “prefix”
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 “prefix”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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
Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP Reset places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 1012 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Brozzme DB Prefix & Tools Addons 10K+ · 4.7★ (57) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 
Duplicate Page 3M+ · 4.8★ (465)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Change Table Prefix 1K+ · 3.8★ (55)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8865)
wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too low 5 
Redis Object Cache 500K+ · 4.4★ (178)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (878)
wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7 
Really Simple CAPTCHA 300K+ · 4.2★ (131)
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 
Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3990)
wp.org #11 ↓4 3 too low 9 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1717)
wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too low 10 
DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer 200K+ · 4.9★ (191)
wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too low 11 WP Reset 300K+ · 4.8★ (1012)
wp.org #18 ↓3 7 too low 12 
301 Redirects – Redirect Manager 300K+ · 4.7★ (578)
wp.org #16 ↑5 4 too low 13 
Sequential Order Number for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.9★ (146)
wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too low 14 
Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑3 6 too high 15 
404 to 301 – Redirect Manager, 301 Redirection, 404 Error Logs & 404 Monitoring 100K+ · 4.7★ (317)
wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too low 16 
BulletProof Security 20K+ · 4.8★ (674) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓2 8 too low 17 
Font Awesome 400K+ · 3.6★ (61)
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 
Easy Bootstrap Shortcode 6K+ · 4.0★ (50)
wp.org #17 ↓3 1 too high 19 Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix 400+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↑13 14 too high 20 
Print Invoice & Delivery Notes for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.4★ (139) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↑4 21 
Permalink Manager for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.9★ (26)
wp.org #21 ↓5 22 
Show only lowest prices in variable products for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.8★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓2 23 
MJDD Sidrena Cijena 400+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #14 9 too high 24 
Statify Widget 4K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓4 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.