wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “add ssl”
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 ssl”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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
Signature Add-On for Gravity Forms shows at wp.org #11 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.9★ average from 21 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
W3 Total Cache places #10 on merit, 4.4★ from 5420 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.
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #1 2 
WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
WP Force SSL & HTTPS SSL Redirect 80K+ · 4.7★ (179)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
SSL Zen — SSL Certificate Installer & HTTPS Redirects 9K+ · 4.9★ (665)
wp.org #4 5 
SSL Insecure Content Fixer 100K+ · 4.8★ (221)
wp.org #5 6 
One Click SSL 10K+ · 4.9★ (139)
wp.org #6 7 
Auto-Install Free SSL – Generate & Install Free SSL Certificates 8K+ · 4.9★ (405)
wp.org #7 8 
Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
301 Redirects – Redirect Manager 300K+ · 4.7★ (578)
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #14 4 too low 11 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #15 ↑1 4 too low 12 
Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL) 100K+ · 4.2★ (71)
wp.org #8 4 too high 13 
SecuPress with Simple SSL – Simple and Performant Security 40K+ · 4.1★ (106)
wp.org #9 4 too high 14 
Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763)
wp.org #17 ↑2 3 too low 15 
WP Reset 300K+ · 4.8★ (1014)
wp.org #19 ↑4 4 too low 16 
WP Add Custom CSS 60K+ · 4.8★ (89)
wp.org #13 3 too high 17 
FluentSMTP – WP Mail SMTP Plugin with Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Cloudflare, toSend, Gmail and Any SMTP 700K+ · 4.8★ (410)
wp.org #18 1 too low 18 
External Links – nofollow, noopener & new window 80K+ · 4.3★ (247)
wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too low 19 
Postie 10K+ · 4.7★ (139)
wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Signature Add-On for Gravity Forms 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #11 9 too high 21 
Cloudflare 200K+ · 3.5★ (181)
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Ninja Forms Signature Contract Add-On 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too high 23 
Simple SSL Redirects 200+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too high 24 
Simple Force SSL 300+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓2 2 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.