wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “administration”
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 “administration”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Multisite Administration Tools shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Booking Calendar places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 657 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 
WP 2FA – Two-factor authentication for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (184)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 A Adminimize 100K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #3 ↓2 4 
Remove Dashboard Access 30K+ · 4.6★ (78)
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended 100K+ · 4.8★ (132)
wp.org #6 ↑2 1 too low 6 
WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490)
wp.org #9 ↓6 3 too low 7 
استایل مدیریت وردپرس 3K+ · 4.7★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↓2 3 too high 8 
WPMasterToolKit (WPMTK) – All in one plugin 5K+ · 5.0★ (28)
wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too high 9 Booking Calendar 40K+ · 4.8★ (657)
wp.org #20 ↓5 11 too low 10 
CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin by NiteoThemes 200K+ · 4.7★ (326)
wp.org #17 7 too low 11 
WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199)
wp.org #18 7 too low 12 
Advanced iFrame 40K+ · 4.4★ (54)
wp.org #12 ↓1 13 
Price Based on Country for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.8★ (262) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↓5 1 too low 14 
Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 
Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 2 too high 16 
Clicky Analytics 10K+ · 4.5★ (25) not PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↑2 6 too high 17 E Error Log Monitor 20K+ · 4.3★ (48)
wp.org #16 1 too high 18 
Genesis Simple Sidebars 10K+ · 4.4★ (27)
wp.org #24 ↓6 6 too low 19 
LWS Hide Login 20K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓2 20 A Action Scheduler 20K+ · 3.5★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too high 21 
Multiple Columns for Gravity Forms 10K+ · 4.5★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 
forumAttachments for bbPress 6K+ · 4.3★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too high 23 M Multisite Administration Tools 10+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 15 too high 24 F Favicon Rotator 20K+ · 4.3★ (12) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓3 1 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.