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

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 “ajax”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

WPC AJAX Search for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #17 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 1K+ 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

Post Types Order places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 296 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.9★ (1815) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter 70K+ · 4.8★ (266) wp.org #2 ↑5 3

Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #4 ↑2 1 too low 4

SearchWP Live Ajax Search 40K+ · 4.7★ (36) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5

Advanced AJAX Product Filters 50K+ · 4.7★ (387) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 ↓2 6 A AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild 30K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #6 ↓2 7

Ajax Load More – Infinite Scroll, Load More, & Lazy Load 30K+ · 4.8★ (287) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too low 8

Ajax add to cart for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (78) wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too high 10

Simple Ajax Chat – Add a Fast, Secure Chat Box 2K+ · 4.9★ (215) wp.org #15 ↑2 5 too low 11

Ajax Cart for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.4★ (39) wp.org #12 1 too low 12

Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296) wp.org #21 ↓1 9 too low 13

AJAX Login and Registration modal popup + inline form 3K+ · 4.7★ (120) wp.org #22 9 too low 14

YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter 70K+ · 3.5★ (98) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15

Relevanssi Live Ajax Search 7K+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16

XT Ajax Add To Cart for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #20 ↓1 4 too low 17

WPC AJAX Add to Cart for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.4★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18

WCAPF – Ajax Product Filter for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.3★ (44) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #18 ↓2 19

Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20

YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search 30K+ · 3.0★ (42) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too high 21

Mini Ajax Cart for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22

Modal Fly Cart & AJAX Add to Cart for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.5★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓2 1 too low 23

Advance Product Search- Voice & Ajax Search for WooCommerce 9K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24

WPC AJAX Search for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓3 7 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.