These 4 apps lead WordPress Plugin Directory's Private message category as of September 2026 — ranked by user rating, review count, and audit score, refreshed every 24 hours from the canonical WordPress marketplace listing.
Discover the top-rated private message apps available on WordPress Plugin Directory. Rankings based on user ratings, review count, and market performance.
This is the curated shortlist — the top-ranked private message apps. To browse every private message app on WordPress Plugin Directory, see the full Private message category.
This list ranks the top 4 WordPress apps classified under Private message by the source marketplace's own taxonomy — apps appear here only because WordPress Plugin Directory itself tags them in this category, not because of any AppRanks editorial decision. Within the category set, ranking uses a Bayesian-ish blend of average rating × natural log of review count: the formula is rating × ln(reviewCount + 1), so a high-rating-low-review app doesn't leapfrog an established listing on a single 5-star outlier. The blend favors apps that are both well-reviewed AND have an established user base.
AppRanks does not invent a proprietary score for public surfaces — the rank shown mirrors the marketplace's published category position exactly, scraped on a 12-24 hour refresh cycle from the canonical WordPress Plugin Directory listing. The category lookup happens at request time and the page is cached at the edge for 1 hour to absorb traffic spikes; the underlying ranking data refreshes daily so the list stays accurate within one day of any source change. AppRanks does not editorially promote or demote apps based on advertiser or partnership status — the same blend formula applies uniformly across every app on this platform.
Ranks #1 in the WordPress Plugin Directory private message category as a category-leading listing. Currently has a growing review traction (219 reviews). Position holds for the trailing 30-day window.
Pick if: Pick this if you prioritize merchant satisfaction over scale — Front End PM holds a 4.8-star average across 219 reviews in the private message category.
Same data as the ranked cards, condensed into a sortable-by-eye grid: rating × review depth × pricing tier across the top 4 private message apps on WordPress Plugin Directory.
| # | App | Rating | Reviews | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Front End PM | 4.8★ | 219 | — |
| 2 | Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots | 4.8★ | 141 | — |
| 3 | BuddyPress Private Messages for Friends Only | 5.0★ | 3 | — |
| 4 | BuddyPress Private Messages for Followers Only | 5.0★ | 1 | — |
Want to compare any two apps in detail (features, ratings trend, pricing plans side-by-side)? Open the head-to-head page from the "Compare to #N" link on each card above. Custom multi-app comparisons, historical rank trajectory, and CSV export are available on a paid plan.
Paid plans unlock watchlists, multi-category comparisons, CSV export, and a full historical rank trajectory across every app on this list. The list itself stays free to read.
Start Free TrialRanks #2 in the WordPress Plugin Directory private message category as a category-leading listing. A growing review traction (141 reviews) with a no-rating average. Position holds for the trailing 30-day window.
Pick if: Pick this if you prioritize merchant satisfaction over scale — Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots holds a 4.8-star average across 141 reviews in the private message category.
BuddyPress Private Messages for Friends Only
Ranks #3 in the WordPress Plugin Directory private message category as a category-leading listing. Tracks at no-rating across 3 reviews — early-stage review volume. Position holds for the trailing 30-day window.
Pick if: Pick this if you prioritize merchant satisfaction over scale — BuddyPress Private Messages for Friends Only holds a 5.0-star average across 3 reviews in the private message category.
BuddyPress Private Messages for Followers Only
Holds position #4 in the WordPress Plugin Directory private message category as a category-leading listing. Currently has an early-stage review volume (1 reviews). Refresh: daily from the source marketplace.
Methodology details: /glossary/audit-score · /about.