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

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 “acs”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

AC’s Mortgage Calculator shows at wp.org #5 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

SAML IDP (Identity Provider) – Login with Website Users places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 62 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 W WC-AC Hook 1K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 ACS Points Plugin 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 AfterShip Tracking – All-In-One WooCommerce Order Tracking (Free plan available) 7K+ · 4.8★ (633) wp.org #16 13 too low 4 AC Advanced Flamingo Settings 800+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 SAML IDP (Identity Provider) – Login with Website Users 600+ · 4.8★ (62) wp.org #20 ↑2 15 too low 6 MPG – Multiple Page Generator, Bulk Landing Pages & Programmatic SEO 2K+ · 3.9★ (27) wp.org #15 ↓9 9 too low 7 Flexible Quantity & Price Calculator for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #12 ↓7 5 too low 8 AC’s Loan Calculator 400+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #6 ↑4 2 too high 9 Smartpoints Lockers for ACS 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 5 too high 10 AC’s Retirement Age Calculator 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 ↑4 1 too high 11 AfterSalesPro Plugin 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↓7 3 too low 12 AC’s Mortgage Calculator 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↑3 7 too high 13 AC’s Retirement Savings Calculator 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 ↑4 6 too high 14 AC’s Savings Calculator 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↑4 6 too high 15 AC’s Auto Loan Calculator 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑4 5 too high 16 ACS Agenda Manager 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓4 3 too high 17 AC’s Retirement Nest Egg Calculator 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↑4 6 too high 18 ACS Portfolio — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 ACS SEO Plus — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too high 20 ACS Internal Links — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 ACS Article Generator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 22 ACS Business Calendar — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 A ACS AI Citation Readiness — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 24 ACS Freight Calculator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.