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

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 “acquisition”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

Manago AI & Leadoo AI shows at wp.org #10 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WPFunnels – Funnel Builder for WooCommerce with Checkout & One Click Upsell places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 175 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too low 2 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #8 6 too low 3 TrueAna – True Analytics Dashboard 1K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 WPFunnels – Funnel Builder for WooCommerce with Checkout & One Click Upsell 5K+ · 4.9★ (175) wp.org #16 ↑1 12 too low 5 Newsletter Subscription Form – User Subscriptions Form, Capture Email 1K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Pz-LinkCard 20K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #4 ↓2 2 too high 7 WP DSGVO Tools (GDPR) 10K+ · 4.0★ (116) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 Tamara Checkout 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 ↑1 7 too high 9 Live Shopping & Shoppable Videos For WooCommerce 300+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Contactus 400+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 AWCA – The Great Analytics Insights for Your eStore 2K+ · 4.7★ (23) wp.org #19 ↑1 8 too low 12 Content Mask 1K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too low 13 Metorik – Reports & Email Automation for WooCommerce 9K+ · 5.0★ (20) wp.org #22 ↑2 9 too low 14 EchoRewards – Refer a Friend Rewards Program for WooCommerce 300+ · 3.9★ (8) wp.org #17 ↑1 3 too low 15 Piwik PRO 2K+ · 3.3★ (7) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 Mailster Google Analytics 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 11 too high 17 Source Medium Tracker for Contact Form 7 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↑2 5 too high 18 WP Global Site Tag 7K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too high 19 S SC Simple Zazzle 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Tealium 600+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Isolved Talent Acquisition 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 User Registration Stats 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑1 4 too high 23 Manago AI & Leadoo AI 900+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #10 13 too high 24 WooCommerce Gateway Affirm 6K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑2 3 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.