Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “adwords”

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 “adwords”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 7 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

AnyTrack Affiliate Link Manager shows at wp.org #13 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 6 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

Live Chat with Messenger Customer Chat places #7 on merit, 4.5★ from 212 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #1 2 Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58) wp.org #2 3 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #6 ↑3 3 too low 4 Customer Reviews Collector for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 ContentBot AI Writer (AI Content) 400+ · 4.7★ (19) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 Conversion Tracking for WooCommerce 20K+ · 3.0★ (24) wp.org #3 ↑2 3 too high 7 Live Chat with Messenger Customer Chat 3K+ · 4.5★ (212) wp.org #22 15 too low 8 AI Powered Marketing 50K+ · 2.7★ (29) wp.org #4 ↓1 4 too high 9 Tracking Script Manager 2K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 4 too high 10 Events Tracker for Elementor 9K+ · 4.5★ (48) wp.org #15 ↓3 5 too low 11 CP Referrer and Conversion Tracking 300+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too low 12 Rencontre – Dating Site 200+ · 3.8★ (49) wp.org #11 ↑3 1 too high 13 CallRail Phone Call Tracking 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #8 ↓2 5 too high 14 Remove Social ID for WP 100+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Mergado Pack 700+ · 3.6★ (17) wp.org #14 ↑2 1 too high 16 Smalk AI Analytics 40+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Integrations of Zoho CRM with Elementor form 200+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #16 ↓3 1 too high 18 Nimbata Call Tracking 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 AnyTrack Affiliate Link Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑2 6 too high 20 SherloQ API Form Feeds 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 21 Integration of Zoho CRM and Contact Form 7 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑2 22 REVIEWS.io for WooCommerce 1K+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 Integration of Zoho CRM and Fluent Form 10+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Integration of Zoho CRM and WPForms 90+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #23 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.