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

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 “username”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Edit Usernames shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 70+ 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

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) places #11 on merit, 5.0★ from 423 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 signals wp.org

Username Changer 40K+ · 4.3★ (77) wp.org #1 2

Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #5 3 too low 3

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #6 ↑3 3 too low 4 E Easy Username Updater 10K+ · 4.2★ (38) wp.org #3 1 too high 5

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too low 6

Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) not PHP-current wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7

Limit Login Attempts Security – Login Security, 2FA, Firewall, Brute Force Prevention 1M+ · 4.8★ (1488) wp.org #10 ↓4 3 too low 8

Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1549) wp.org #14 ↑2 6 too low 9

Change Username 4K+ · 4.6★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #2 7 too high 10

Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #15 ↑4 5 too low 11

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #18 ↑2 7 too low 12

Nextend Social Login and Register 200K+ · 4.9★ (446) wp.org #19 ↑2 7 too low 13

Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #11 2 too high 14

Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376) wp.org #22 ↓8 8 too low 15

WP Edit Username 2K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #4 11 too high 16 R Restrict Usernames Emails Characters 1K+ · 4.5★ (25) wp.org #9 ↑1 7 too high 17

FluentSMTP – WP Mail SMTP Plugin with Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Cloudflare, toSend, Gmail and Any SMTP 700K+ · 4.8★ (410) wp.org #24 6 too low 19

Smart User Slug Hider 2K+ · 4.9★ (55) wp.org #17 2 too high 20

Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓5 4 too high 21

SMTP Mailer 70K+ · 4.6★ (67) wp.org #23 ↓5 2 too low 22

All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #21 1 too high 23

SiteGuard WP Plugin 600K+ · 4.3★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-currenthost-installed base thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓3 3 too high 24

Edit Usernames 70+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #12 ↑3 12 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.