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

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 “sucuri”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

Lookit Cache Purge for Sucuri shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall places #6 on merit, 4.5★ from 373 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention 1M+ · 4.8★ (1489) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 WPS Limit Login 100K+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #3 4 EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #4 5 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #5 6 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #14 ↑1 8 too low 7 WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection 10K+ · 4.6★ (213) wp.org #15 ↓1 8 too low 8 Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security 100K+ · 4.8★ (62) wp.org #8 9 Disable XML-RPC-API 100K+ · 4.2★ (43) wp.org #9 10 Speed Booster Pack ⚡ PageSpeed Optimization Suite 8K+ · 4.3★ (186) wp.org #16 6 too low 11 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 Uncanny Automator – AI + Automation for WordPress | AI Agent, AI Page Builder, Free AI Usage Included 40K+ · 4.9★ (157) wp.org #20 ↑1 8 too low 13 Simple Client Dashboard 2K+ · 4.5★ (26) wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14 Checkout Shield for WooCommerce – Stop Fake Orders, Spam Bots & Card Testing 400+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #10 ↑3 4 too high 15 The Cache Purger 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 Search Atlas SEO – OTTO AI SEO Automation for WordPress 7K+ · 3.3★ (24) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #23 ↓3 6 too low 18 Lookit Cache Purge for Sucuri 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 12 too high 19 Dessky Security 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 ABCode Cache Warmer 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↑1 2 too low 21 Easy IP Blocker 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↓1 10 too high 22 iyzico for WooCommerce 10K+ · 1.8★ (18) wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too high 23 Nexura Security — Malware Scanner, Firewall, 2FA & WordPress Security 10+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too high 24 Anti Fake Orders & IP Blocker 300+ · 1.0★ (2) wp.org #24

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.