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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “2011”

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 “2011”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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.

S

Ranked above its merit

Shortcodes in Sidebar shows at wp.org #16 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 400+ 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

Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress places #12 on merit, 4.6★ from 504 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 wp.org
1 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8669) wp.org #1 2 MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1432) wp.org #2 3 Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181) wp.org #3 4 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1900) wp.org #4 5 Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005) wp.org #5 6 Black Studio TinyMCE Widget 200K+ · 4.8★ (191) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1395) wp.org #8 ↓2 1 too low 8 Htaccess File Editor – Safely Edit Htaccess File 40K+ · 5.0★ (102) wp.org #7 ↑2 1 too high 9 Website Builder by SeedProd — Theme Builder, Landing Page Builder, Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode 600K+ · 4.9★ (4699) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too low 10 SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11 Database Reset 10K+ · 4.5★ (77) wp.org #11 ↓1 12 Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Author Avatars List/Block 4K+ · 4.8★ (32) wp.org #10 ↑2 3 too high 14 Username Changer 40K+ · 4.3★ (77) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #20 ↓3 5 too low 16 Albo Pretorio On line 800+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too high 17 Affiliates WooCommerce Light 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 EventON – Events Calendar 6K+ · 4.1★ (44) wp.org #17 ↑2 1 too high 19 Hum 500+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too low 20 Dynamics 365 Integration 600+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #23 ↓2 3 too low 21 S Shortcodes in Sidebar 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 M MCM Random Baby Name Generator 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 23 IS-theme-companion 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 Ovation Elements 10K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.