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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “ad space”

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 “ad space”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Ad Auto Insert H shows at wp.org #3 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 900+ 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

Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager places #5 on merit, 5.0★ from 1526 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463) wp.org #1 2 Quads Ads Manager for Google AdSense 20K+ · 4.9★ (1087) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Directorist: AI-Powered Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads 20K+ · 4.6★ (698) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too low 4 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #7 ↑2 3 too low 5 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1526) wp.org #11 ↑1 6 too low 6 Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications 100K+ · 4.7★ (367) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too low 7 Download Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (1006) wp.org #9 ↓3 2 too low 8 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – CTX Feed – Support 220+ Shopping, AI & Social Channels 90K+ · 4.6★ (838) wp.org #13 ↓5 5 too low 9 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758) wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too low 10 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #12 ↑6 2 too low 11 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1072) wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too low 12 Ads.txt Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #5 ↓1 7 too high 13 Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763) wp.org #19 ↓5 6 too low 14 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #20 ↓3 6 too low 15 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #16 ↑3 1 too low 16 Woody Code Snippets – Insert PHP, CSS, JS, and Header/Footer Scripts 50K+ · 4.5★ (221) wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too low 17 AWP Classifieds 3K+ · 4.6★ (301) wp.org #21 ↑2 4 too low 18 AdFlow – Ad Inserter & Ad Manager: AdSense, Banner Ads & ads.txt 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↓1 14 too high 19 Jetpack VideoPress 7K+ · 4.0★ (16) wp.org #14 ↓4 5 too high 20 Ad Auto Insert H 900+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 ↓1 17 too high 21 All-in-One Microsoft 365 & Entra ID / Azure AD SSO Login 600+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #23 ↓3 2 too low 22 Add Pinterest conversion tags for Pinterest Ads + Site verification 1K+ · 3.3★ (9) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 Ad Refresh Control 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too high 24 Sell Ads – Sell your ad space. Without middleman. 10+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.