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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “additional”

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 “additional”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 5 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

WPC Additional Variation Images for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 3220 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. 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★ (7323) wp.org #1 2 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Additional Variation Images Gallery for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.6★ (162) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 Product Gallery Slider, Additional Variation Images for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (160) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143) wp.org #16 ↓1 8 too low 9 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Additional Terms Lite for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.6★ (16) wp.org #4 6 too high 11 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too low 12 Product Gallery Slider, Additional Variation Images, Product Video, Product Image Zoom and Lightbox for WooCommerce – Reno Product Gallery (formerly WooGallery) 20K+ · 4.9★ (162) wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #23 ↓1 10 too low 14 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #22 ↓6 8 too low 15 Redirection for Contact Form 7 200K+ · 4.7★ (275) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 Additional Custom Emails & Recipients for WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too high 17 Additional Order Filters for WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18 WPC Additional Variation Images for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 13 too high 19 WooCommerce PayPal Payments 800K+ · 2.9★ (583) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Additional Custom Product Tabs for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Abs – Additional block styles 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↓1 13 too high 22 Additional Fees For WooCommerce Checkout 200+ · 3.1★ (35) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↓1 8 too high 24 Cart Additional Fee For WooCommerce 70+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #20 4 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.