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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “security audit”

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 “security audit”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

Lockora Security Audit shows at wp.org #11 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 491 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #1 2 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #2 3 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #3 4 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #4 5 WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too high 8 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #9 ↑2 1 too low 9 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #10 ↓2 11 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #17 ↑7 6 too low 12 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #19 6 too low 14 FluentAuth – Login Security, Two-Factor Authentication, Passkeys & Social Login 10K+ · 4.1★ (35) wp.org #8 ↑1 6 too high 15 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #22 ↓4 6 too low 17 Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74) wp.org #18 ↑4 1 too low 18 Atlant Security 700+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #12 ↑1 6 too high 19 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #13 ↓1 6 too high 20 Lockora Security Audit 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 ↓1 9 too high 21 Atomic Edge Security – Firewall, Malware Scan and Login Security 700+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #23 ↓3 2 too low 22 WP Admin Audit 1K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 CMS ADMINS Security Check Report 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Bastora Security Audit 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 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.