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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “admin settings”

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 “admin settings”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

Easy PHP Settings shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Admin Custom Login places #7 on merit, 4.6★ from 388 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #1 2 Admin Columns 100K+ · 4.9★ (1652) wp.org #2 3 Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312) wp.org #3 4 Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications 100K+ · 4.7★ (367) wp.org #4 5 BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) wp.org #5 6 View Admin As 9K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 Admin Custom Login 10K+ · 4.6★ (388) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Change Admin Email 40K+ · 4.8★ (141) wp.org #14 ↓5 6 too low 9 User Admin Simplifier 10K+ · 5.0★ (31) wp.org #12 ↑2 3 too low 10 C Cryout Serious Theme Settings 40K+ · 4.3★ (16) wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too high 11 Admin Notices Manager 10K+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too high 12 Admin Bar Editor – Toolbar Customization with User Role based access & Custom menus 3K+ · 4.4★ (24) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too high 13 Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45) wp.org #16 3 too low 14 Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins 10K+ · 4.3★ (30) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15 Admin Menu Tree Page View 10K+ · 4.6★ (48) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too low 16 Simple Admin Language Change 10K+ · 4.7★ (22) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Easy PHP Settings 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #6 ↑1 11 too high 18 WP Custom Admin Interface 30K+ · 4.7★ (160) wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too low 19 Custom PHP Settings 10K+ · 4.4★ (15) wp.org #24 ↓1 5 too low 20 Admin Management Xtended 5K+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 WPC Admin Columns 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 22 Advanced Settings 3 200+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23 AC Advanced Flamingo Settings 800+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too high 24 Hide WP Admin Notifications 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.