wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “admins”
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 “admins”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 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
Pinny's Multi Admin – Add Multiple Admin Emails shows at wp.org #19 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 100+ 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
Admin Custom Login places #11 on merit, 4.6★ from 388 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.
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #1 2 
Admin Columns 100K+ · 4.9★ (1652)
wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 
Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins 10K+ · 4.3★ (30)
wp.org #2 ↑1 2 too high 5 
Change Admin Email 40K+ · 4.8★ (141)
wp.org #5 6 
Disable Admin Notices – Hide Dashboard Notifications 100K+ · 4.7★ (367)
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too low 8 
Remove Dashboard Access 30K+ · 4.6★ (78)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
View Admin As 9K+ · 4.9★ (49)
wp.org #9 ↑1 10 
ACF Frontend Admin by DynamiApps 8K+ · 4.5★ (160) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #10 ↓4 11 Admin Custom Login 10K+ · 4.6★ (388)
wp.org #20 ↓1 9 too low 12 
Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #13 1 too low 13 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #15 2 too low 14 
User Admin Simplifier 10K+ · 5.0★ (31)
wp.org #14 15 
Simple Admin Language Change 10K+ · 4.7★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #11 4 too high 16 
Admin Notices Manager 10K+ · 4.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #12 4 too high 17 
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #17 ↓1 18 
WP Custom Admin Interface 30K+ · 4.7★ (160) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 F Featured Image Admin Thumb 20K+ · 4.7★ (40)
wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 
Adminify – White Label, Admin Menu Editor, Login Customizer 6K+ · 4.3★ (109)
wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 
Admin Menu Tree Page View 10K+ · 4.6★ (48)
wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 
Admin Slug Column 5K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 
WPC Admin Columns 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 Pinny's Multi Admin – Add Multiple Admin Emails 100+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.