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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “add codes”

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 “add codes”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Add Code To Head shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Insert PHP Code Snippet places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 707 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #1 2 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916) wp.org #2 3 Header Footer Code Manager 600K+ · 4.9★ (309) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too low 4 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 FluentSnippets – High-Performance Code Snippets, Header & Footer Code, Custom CSS & PHP Code Manager 50K+ · 4.7★ (78) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too low 6 Insert PHP Code Snippet 90K+ · 4.9★ (707) wp.org #14 ↑1 8 too low 7 CodeKit – Custom Codes Editor 7K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #4 ↑1 3 too high 8 Head & Footer Code 100K+ · 5.0★ (51) wp.org #12 4 too low 9 Add to Calendar Button 3K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Add Custom Codes – Insert Header, Footer, Custom PHP Snippets, CSS, Javascript 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #3 ↑1 7 too high 11 AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114) wp.org #18 7 too low 12 Table Field Add-on for ACF and SCF 50K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Captcha Code 100K+ · 3.9★ (35) wp.org #11 2 too high 14 Highlighting Code Block 10K+ · 4.5★ (20) wp.org #13 1 too high 15 WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #24 ↓10 9 too low 16 Add Customer for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 Serial Codes Generator and Validator with WooCommerce Support 700+ · 4.6★ (13) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 Add Featured Image Column 3K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #20 ↓1 2 too low 19 Add Code To Head 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 ↓2 14 too high 20 Wp Tracking Codes 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 10 too high 21 WPC AJAX Add to Cart for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.4★ (18) wp.org #15 ↑2 6 too high 22 YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons 20K+ · 3.7★ (57) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 International Telephone Input With Flags And Dial Codes 1K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #23 ↓3 24 A Add Password Field for Contact Form 7 3K+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #21 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.