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

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 “ssl security”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 4 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

Atlant Security shows at wp.org #12 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 700+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 8 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 783 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #1 2 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #4 5 SSL Zen — SSL Certificate Installer & HTTPS Redirects 9K+ · 4.9★ (665) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 WP Force SSL & HTTPS SSL Redirect 80K+ · 4.7★ (179) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 Auto-Install Free SSL – Generate & Install Free SSL Certificates 8K+ · 4.9★ (405) wp.org #8 ↓1 9 One Click SSL 10K+ · 4.9★ (139) wp.org #9 ↑1 10 Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (783) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #18 ↑2 7 too low 12 SecuPress with Simple SSL – Simple and Performant Security 40K+ · 4.1★ (106) wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too low 13 WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) wp.org #11 2 too high 14 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #17 18 Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL) 100K+ · 4.2★ (71) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 Cookies and Content Security Policy 10K+ · 4.9★ (67) wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 Atlant Security 700+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #12 ↑2 9 too high 22 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too high 23 WebTotem Security 700+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 Lockora Security Audit 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #23 ↑1 1 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.