wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “restricted access”
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 “restricted access”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Restricted Site Notifier shows at wp.org #11 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 70+ 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
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 1281 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Restricted Site Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (62)
wp.org #1 2 
Access Governance for WordPress (aka AAM) 100K+ · 4.2★ (420)
wp.org #2 3 
User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112)
wp.org #3 4 
Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #4 5 
Groups – Memberships and Access Control 10K+ · 4.8★ (382)
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #13 ↓1 7 too low 7 
Restrict – membership, site, content and user access restrictions for WordPress 2K+ · 4.2★ (25)
wp.org #5 2 too high 8 
Prevent Files / Folders Access 1K+ · 4.6★ (35)
wp.org #7 1 too high 9 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #12 ↓3 3 too low 10 
Restrict User Access – Ultimate Membership & Content Protection 10K+ · 4.3★ (94) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 4 too high 11 
PublishPress Permissions: Access Control, Content Permissions, User Access 10K+ · 4.3★ (66)
wp.org #9 ↑2 2 too high 12 
Simple Page Access Restriction 6K+ · 4.9★ (32)
wp.org #10 2 too high 13 
Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142)
wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too low 14 
WP-Members Membership Plugin 50K+ · 4.6★ (272)
wp.org #21 7 too low 15 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #23 8 too low 16 
Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) not PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↑2 1 too low 17 
Password Protected 300K+ · 4.4★ (142)
wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too low 18 
My Private Site – Make Your Whole Site Private, Force Login & Block Registration Spam 10K+ · 4.5★ (82) not PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too high 19 
WP Approve User 3K+ · 4.2★ (42)
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 A Access Areas for WordPress 400+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓2 21 
Products Restricted Users for WooCommerce 400+ · 4.3★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑2 7 too high 22 Restricted Site Notifier 70+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑2 11 too high 23 
Web3 Access 40+ · 4.2★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
Custom Access Roles 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 8 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.