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

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 headers”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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

GD Security Headers shows at wp.org #12 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 8 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection places #5 on merit, 4.6★ from 3992 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #1 2 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #2 3 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1915) wp.org #3 4 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #4 ↑1 5 Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #5 ↑2 1 too high 7 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #7 ↓4 8 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 HTTP Headers 40K+ · 4.3★ (70) wp.org #8 ↑5 2 too high 11 Insert Headers And Footers 200K+ · 5.0★ (135) wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #15 ↑3 3 too low 13 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #14 ↑3 1 too low 14 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #22 ↑1 8 too low 15 WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 U Unique Headers 10K+ · 4.9★ (160) wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too low 17 Sticky Header Effects for Elementor 300K+ · 4.5★ (69) wp.org #23 6 too low 18 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too low 19 Atlant Security 700+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #18 ↑4 1 too high 20 GD Security Headers 1K+ · 4.0★ (8) wp.org #12 ↓2 8 too high 21 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #21 ↓7 22 Security Header Generator 400+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too high 23 HTTP Security Header 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Security Headers 800+ · 3.0★ (2) 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.