wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “acf4”
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 “acf4”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 13. 6 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
Advanced Custom Fields: Markdown Field shows at wp.org #4 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Advanced Custom Fields: Validated Field 100+ · 4.5★ (22) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 9 too low 5 
Advanced Custom Fields Repeater & Flexible Content Fields Collapser 3K+ · 4.7★ (14) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 7 too low 6 
Advanced Custom Fields: Button Field 200+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #2 4 too high 7 
Landing Page Creator With Custom Posts 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked
wp.org #3 4 too high 8 A Advanced Custom Fields: Leaflet Field 70+ · 3.1★ (7) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 A Advanced Custom Fields: Limiter Field 800+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 A Advanced Custom Fields: NextGEN Gallery Field add-on 400+ · 2.1★ (7) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #6 ↑1 4 too high 11 A Advanced Custom Fields: Mapbox geoJSON Field 60+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too high 12 
Language option for ACF4+ Fields 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #8 4 too high 13 A Advanced Custom Fields: Markdown Field 100+ · 3.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked
wp.org #4 9 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.