wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “admin users”
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 users”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
Admin Users Logged In shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ 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
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 143 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.
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #1 2 
Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259)
wp.org #2 3 
Admin Columns 100K+ · 4.9★ (1652)
wp.org #3 4 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #6 ↓2 1 too low 6 
Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312)
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too high 7 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #9 ↓2 2 too low 8 
Export and Import Users and Customers 50K+ · 4.8★ (442) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications 100K+ · 4.7★ (367)
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 
User Admin Simplifier 10K+ · 5.0★ (31)
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11 PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too low 12 
User Role Editor 700K+ · 4.5★ (288)
wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too low 13 
User Switching 200K+ · 4.9★ (238)
wp.org #19 ↓1 6 too low 14 
View Admin As 9K+ · 4.9★ (49)
wp.org #16 2 too low 15 
Online Active Users 2K+ · 4.7★ (51)
wp.org #20 5 too low 16 
Admin Bar Editor – Toolbar Customization with User Role based access & Custom menus 3K+ · 4.4★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #13 3 too high 17 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↑2 18 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #21 ↑3 3 too low 19 
Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins 10K+ · 4.3★ (30)
wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 
Import Users from CSV 10K+ · 4.1★ (44)
wp.org #23 ↓2 3 too low 21 
Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #10 11 too high 22 
Admin Notices Manager 10K+ · 4.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 2 too low 23 
User Profile Picture – Custom Local Avatars 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Admin Users Logged In 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #11 13 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.