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

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 maps”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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.

M

Ranked above its merit

Map Block shows at wp.org #9 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 6K+ 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

WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 88 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #1 2 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #2 3 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #3 4 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #6 7 API KEY for Google Maps 30K+ · 4.9★ (55) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps 30K+ · 4.4★ (65) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 Leaflet Map 30K+ · 4.9★ (58) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 HTML5 Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (45) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #19 ↑1 6 too low 14 Map Block for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (21) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 WP GPX Maps 4K+ · 4.1★ (59) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 MapSVG – Vector maps, Image maps, Google Maps 1K+ · 4.5★ (31) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 WP Go Maps Block 3K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #17 ↓1 18 Simple Shortcode for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.6★ (46) wp.org #22 ↓4 4 too low 19 A amCharts: Charts and Maps 1K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #24 ↓1 5 too low 20 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too low 21 exovia GDPR Google Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too high 22 Very Simple Google Maps 3K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 M Map Block 6K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 14 too high 24 Block for Apple Maps 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 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.