wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “restricted content”
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 content”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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 content based on purchase shows at wp.org #9 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 30+ 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
PublishPress Revisions: Duplicate Posts, Submit, Approve and Schedule Content Changes places #12 on merit, 4.6★ from 66 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. 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 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Content Control – The Ultimate Content Restriction Solution! Restrict Content, Create Conditional Blocks & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (575)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
Restrict – membership, site, content and user access restrictions for WordPress 2K+ · 4.2★ (25)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 too high 6 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7 
Paid Membership Subscriptions – Effortless Memberships, Recurring Payments & Content Restriction 10K+ · 4.7★ (270)
wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too low 8 
Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking 20K+ · 4.3★ (62)
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 
Access Governance for WordPress (aka AAM) 100K+ · 4.2★ (420)
wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too low 10 
WP-Members Membership Plugin 50K+ · 4.6★ (272)
wp.org #11 ↑6 1 too low 11 
Password Protected 300K+ · 4.4★ (142)
wp.org #13 ↓6 2 too low 12 PublishPress Revisions: Duplicate Posts, Submit, Approve and Schedule Content Changes 10K+ · 4.6★ (66)
wp.org #16 ↑2 4 too low 13 
PublishPress Permissions: Access Control, Content Permissions, User Access 10K+ · 4.3★ (66)
wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 
Restrict User Access – Ultimate Membership & Content Protection 10K+ · 4.3★ (94) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15 
Interactive Content – H5P 40K+ · 4.8★ (61) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓1 5 too low 16 
Membership Plugin – Kadence Memberships 8K+ · 3.1★ (100) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too low 17 
Anonymous Restricted Content 900+ · 4.3★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓2 1 too low 18 
Content Pilot – Autoblogging & Affiliate Marketing Suite 700+ · 3.6★ (36) not PHP-current
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
Restrict for Elementor 900+ · 4.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 4 too low 20 
Restricted Site Notifier 70+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Restricted content based on purchase 30+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 12 too high 22 
Content Censor 600+ · 4.5★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #19 3 too high 23 
AI Content Creator – Easy ChatGPT powered article generator 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24 
SureMembers – Membership & Content Restriction Plugin 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #21 3 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.