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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “action buttons”

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 “action buttons”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 18 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

Call To Action Customizable Block shows at wp.org #9 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 1K+ 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

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 5333 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #1 2 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #6 4 too low 3 Call Now Button – The Free Click to Call Button for WordPress 200K+ · 4.8★ (102) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 MaxButtons – Create buttons 70K+ · 4.9★ (1093) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too low 6 Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775) wp.org #12 ↑1 6 too low 7 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333) wp.org #23 ↓8 16 too low 8 Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) wp.org #14 ↓3 6 too low 9 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 WS Action Scheduler Cleaner 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #4 6 too high 11 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #24 13 too low 12 Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #3 9 too high 13 Organizers Embed – Action Network for WordPress 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 11 too high 14 ShareThis Share Buttons 10K+ · 3.5★ (26) wp.org #7 7 too high 15 Buttonizer – Floating Menus, Sticky Buttons, & Popup Builder 70K+ · 4.5★ (151) wp.org #20 ↑1 5 too low 16 SMNTCS Quantity Increment Buttons for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.5★ (20) wp.org #19 3 too low 17 Floating Action Button 900+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too high 18 Floating Button – Easily Create Sticky, Fixed & Floating Buttons 4K+ · 3.0★ (15) wp.org #15 ↑2 3 too high 19 Button Block – Stylish buttons that get more clicks 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too low 20 Bolt CTA Button – Floating Call Button for WordPress 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #17 ↑3 3 too high 21 Cleanup Action Scheduler 1K+ · 3.2★ (6) wp.org #11 ↑1 10 too high 22 Safelayout Brilliant Buttons – WordPress Buttons 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 Call To Action Customizable Block 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↓1 14 too high 24 Mobile Call Buttons 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 6 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.