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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “secured”

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 “secured”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 3 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

Secured WP shows at wp.org #5 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Image SEO – AI-Driven Image SEO Optimizer places #10 on merit, 3.4★ from 57 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Umbrella: Security Backup Restore & Monitoring 90K+ · 4.8★ (81) wp.org #1 2 Auto-Install Free SSL – Generate & Install Free SSL Certificates 8K+ · 4.9★ (405) wp.org #2 3 Feed Them Social – Social Media Feeds, Video, and Photo Galleries 20K+ · 4.7★ (639) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Download After Email – Subscribe & Download Form Plugin 7K+ · 4.4★ (30) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Super Web Share – Native Social Sharing Button 2K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #8 ↑12 3 too low 6 Security Header Generator 400+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 exovia GDPR Google Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #7 8 Data Source for Contact Form 7 300+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too low 9 Ajaxified Cart 300+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #9 ↓1 10 Image SEO – AI-Driven Image SEO Optimizer 900+ · 3.4★ (57) wp.org #18 ↓2 8 too low 11 WP Free SSL 1K+ · 4.7★ (23) wp.org #15 ↓6 4 too low 12 GDPR CCPA Compliance & Cookie Consent Banner 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #12 13 Email OTP Authenticator – Login, Register & 2FA 100+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 BeyondSEO – AI SEO to Improve Rankings, Listings & Online Visibility 20K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #11 ↑11 3 too high 15 Search Atlas SEO – OTTO AI SEO Automation for WordPress 7K+ · 3.3★ (24) wp.org #21 ↓11 6 too low 16 Secured WP — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 11 too high 17 MakeCommerce for WooCommerce 3K+ · 3.6★ (8) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Smart Brands for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #22 4 too low 19 MyWorks Sync for WooCommerce & Xero 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 6 too high 20 Membee Login 400+ · 3.4★ (5) wp.org #24 4 too low 21 Speedx – Maintenance Mode 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too high 22 Dynamic Product Category Grid, Slider for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23 Public Preview URL Manager 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 ravpage 300+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.