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← Rankings

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

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 “alphabetic”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Kaya Login Captcha shows at wp.org #2 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 400+ 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

Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps places #3 on merit, 5.0★ from 70 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Alphabetic Pagination 400+ · 4.7★ (81) wp.org #1 2 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #11 ↓1 9 too low 3 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #14 ↓2 11 too low 4 CM Tooltip Glossary 7K+ · 4.3★ (157) wp.org #13 ↓2 9 too low 5 Live Event Seating Lite – Seating Chart, Floor Plan, RSVP & Event Ticket 40+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too low 6 Spiffy Calendar 2K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #15 ↓1 9 too low 7 AutoListicle: Automatically Update Numbered List Articles 60+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 Chameleon 200+ · 3.4★ (5) wp.org #3 ↑1 5 too high 9 Endless Posts Navigation 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 too high 10 Kaya Login Captcha 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 8 too high 11 Sortacular – Instantly Sort and Organize WordPress Admin Menus Alphabetically 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 ↑2 6 too high 12 SkyServers EAN Barcode Finder 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 WP Mechanic 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 6 too high 14 Glossary Pages 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15 WP Quick Shop 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↑2 3 too low 16 Flywire for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Mon Laboratoire 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too low 18 NoHackMe Defender 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓3 3 too low 19 All Pages In Custommize: see all the pages in the Customize preview — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20 Tune Library 10+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too high 21 GBP AutoReply AI — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 360 Reclamaciones — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 RFS Email Verification for Gravity Forms 20+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too high 24 PAYGENT for WooCommerce 100+ · 1.0★ (3) wp.org #16 ↓1 8 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.