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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “address validator”

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 “address validator”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 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.

Ranked above its merit

KSA National Address Validator shows at wp.org #10 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 973 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 Serial Codes Generator and Validator with WooCommerce Support 700+ · 4.6★ (13) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Address Validator for WooCommerce 90+ · 3.4★ (9) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 400K+ · 4.9★ (1056) wp.org #13 ↑1 10 too low 4 Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (973) wp.org #18 ↑2 14 too low 5 Antideo Email Validator 700+ · 3.5★ (14) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Flexible Checkout Fields for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Checkout Manager 80K+ · 4.7★ (296) wp.org #15 9 too low 7 Gwolle Guestbook 20K+ · 4.8★ (113) wp.org #14 ↓2 7 too low 8 Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376) wp.org #19 11 too low 9 DeBounce Email Validator 300+ · 3.9★ (16) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Byteplant Phone Validator 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 6 too high 11 Dilli Email Validator 100+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #11 12 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – RexFeed – Sell on 200+ Shopping Channels 10K+ · 4.8★ (256) wp.org #20 8 too low 13 Recipe Card Blocks Lite 10K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too low 14 Clearout Email Validator – Real-Time Email Verification on WordPress Forms 500+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 Byteplant Email Validator 90+ · 3.8★ (9) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 Email Validator for Contact Form 7 400+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #8 8 too high 17 Edutain Certificate Validator – Certificate Verification, QR Code & Digital Credentials 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Reoon Email Verifier 600+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 ↑1 4 too low 19 KSA National Address Validator 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 9 too high 20 Phone Validator for WPForms 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↑1 8 too high 21 User Registration Email Validator 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↑1 4 too high 22 turboSMTP Email Validator 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 ZBounce Email Validator — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 ThreatPoint Email Validator — · 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.