wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wordpress vulnerability scanner”

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 “wordpress vulnerability scanner”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Compromise Scanner for wp2shell shows at wp.org #10 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 1146 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) heavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #4 1 too low 4

Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #2 2 too high 5

MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #5 6

Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too low 7

Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #9 ↑2 2 too low 8

WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #19 ↑1 11 too low 9

Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #7 2 too high 10

Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053) wp.org #18 ↑1 8 too low 11

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #15 4 too low 12

Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (783) wp.org #20 ↑1 8 too low 13

Quttera ThreatSign – Web Malware Scanner for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (47) not PHP-current wp.org #6 7 too high 14

Jetpack Protect 100K+ · 4.6★ (123) wp.org #14 15

WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner 8K+ · 3.8★ (28) wp.org #8 ↑1 7 too high 16

Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too low 17

Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #22 ↑1 5 too low 18

Malcure Malware Shield — Removal, Repair, Monitor 10K+ · 4.4★ (74) wp.org #24 6 too low 19

Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20

Compromise Scanner for wp2shell 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #10 ↓2 10 too high 21

DevDome Malware Scanner – WordPress Malware Removal & Security Scanner 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #12 9 too high 22

SiteCare – Vulnerability Scanner 40+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #13 9 too high 23

VulnTitan – Malware Scanner, Vulnerability Scanner & Security 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #16 7 too high 24

OOPVulns: Vulnerability Scanner 100+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↑1 3 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.