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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “a z”

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 “a z”, we and wp.org disagree 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

Apaczka: integracja z WooCommerce shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Google Authenticator places #7 on merit, 4.3★ from 135 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 TranslatePress – Translate Multilingual sites with AI Translation 400K+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too low 2 Grainsoft – integracja z InPost Paczkomaty 8K+ · 4.8★ (33) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Perfect Brands for WooCommerce 40K+ · 4.7★ (414) wp.org #10 ↑3 6 too low 5 AlphaListing 600+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too high 6 Administrator Z 300+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Google Authenticator 20K+ · 4.3★ (135) wp.org #20 13 too low 8 Superb Addons: Blocks, Patterns, Pre-built Pages, Sliders, Popups, Free Forms, Animations & More 80K+ · 4.9★ (23) wp.org #17 ↑2 9 too low 9 P Private groups 1K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 Extra Product Sorting Options for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.6★ (31) wp.org #19 ↓2 9 too low 11 InPost PL 10K+ · 3.8★ (12) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 G Glosseta A-Z Glossary 30+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 ↑1 7 too high 13 W WP Auto Updater 7K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #11 ↑1 2 too high 14 More Sorting Options for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #13 ↓3 1 too high 15 Sticky Block for Gutenberg Editor 8K+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 Catch Sticky Menu 2K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 Apaczka: integracja z WooCommerce 3K+ · 3.3★ (6) wp.org #6 ↓1 11 too high 18 Autopay dla WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #8 10 too high 19 Mobile Call Now & Map Buttons 4K+ · 4.9★ (18) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 Current Year, Symbols and IP Shortcode 10K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Z-Downloads 70+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #12 ↓1 9 too high 22 Furgonetka.pl: Przesyłki & Narzędzia e-commerce 7K+ · 2.9★ (14) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Empik for Woocommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Apaczka.pl Mapa Punktów 2K+ · 3.0★ (3) wp.org #23 1 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.