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

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 “remove protected”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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.

H

Ranked above its merit

Hidden Password Protected Pages shows at wp.org #4 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 16 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

Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 3220 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. 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 Protected Video 1K+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #2 3 Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (Easy to setup GDPR/CCPA Compliant Cookie Notice) 1M+ · 4.8★ (3236) wp.org #11 ↓2 5 too low 7 PPWP – Password Protect Pages 30K+ · 4.7★ (271) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) wp.org #9 ↑9 1 too low 9 Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428) wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too low 10 MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435) wp.org #14 ↓6 4 too low 11 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220) wp.org #23 ↑1 12 too low 12 WPEPP – Essential Security, Password Protect & Login Page Customizer 3K+ · 4.1★ (19) wp.org #5 7 too high 13 WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection 10K+ · 4.6★ (213) wp.org #16 3 too low 14 WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #17 ↓1 3 too low 15 Jetpack Protect 100K+ · 4.6★ (123) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix 400+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #3 13 too high 17 Mercado Pago payments for WooCommerce 100K+ · 3.9★ (693) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too low 19 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 H Hidden Password Protected Pages 600+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 16 too high 21 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content 10K+ · 4.2★ (60) wp.org #18 ↓7 3 too high 22 Protect Uploads 30K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 DevDome Media Cleaner: Remove Unused Images & Media Library Cleanup 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↑3 11 too high 24 Checkout & Store Toolkit for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↓1 11 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.