wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wp login.php”

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 “wp login.php”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

CloudSecure WP Security shows at wp.org #7 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 100K+ 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

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall places #8 on merit, 4.7★ from 1720 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

WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111) wp.org #1 2

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

Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #3 4

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #8 4 too low 5

WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 1 too high 6

Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) not PHP-current wp.org #6 7

WP-Members Membership Plugin 50K+ · 4.6★ (272) wp.org #15 8 too low 8

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #18 10 too low 9

Easy Hide Login 20K+ · 4.4★ (43) wp.org #9 10

WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 3 too low 11

Theme My Login 50K+ · 3.7★ (460) wp.org #20 9 too low 12

NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #17 5 too low 13

hCaptcha for WP 70K+ · 4.6★ (88) wp.org #22 9 too low 14

All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #12 2 too high 15

WP Meteor Website Speed Optimization Addon 20K+ · 4.7★ (77) wp.org #24 9 too low 16

Protect WP Admin 10K+ · 3.6★ (50) wp.org #19 3 too low 17

WP SAML Auth 7K+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #10 7 too high 18

Block wp-login 600+ · 4.7★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #11 7 too high 19

SiteGuard WP Plugin 600K+ · 4.3★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-currenthost-installed base thin reviews wp.org #5 15 too high 21 L Login rebuilder 20K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #16 5 too high 22

LWS Hide Login 20K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #21 1 too high 23

Rename wp-admin login 9K+ · 3.9★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #14 9 too high 24

CloudSecure WP Security 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) host-installed base thin reviews wp.org #7 17 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.