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

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 “alumni”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 of the top 17. 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Accredible Certificates & Open Badges shows at wp.org #4 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 70+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142) wp.org #1 2

Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms 20K+ · 4.4★ (433) wp.org #2 3

IssueM 600+ · 4.1★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #5 2 too low 4

MemberKits – Ultimate Member for Elementor 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #3 1 too high 5

SKT Templates – 100% Free Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 20K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #13 8 too low 6

AlumniCore – Alumni Management & Directory — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 7 F Faceted Search for Ultimate Member 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #7 8

G33Z3R Birthday Song & Retro Music Widgets — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #9 1 too low 9

Adler Business Directory – Business, Member, Staff & Community Directory — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #10 1 too low 10

Schema Blocks 20+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #17 7 too low 11

Accredible Certificates & Open Badges 70+ · 2.0★ (5) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #4 7 too high 12

EffortLess Association Member Manager — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #11 1 too high 13

EEAT WP 100+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 5 too high 14 M Maya Team Directory — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #12 2 too high 15

GSheet Membership — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #14 1 too high 16

Accept Ethereum Donations — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #15 1 too high 17

Mon Laboratoire 60+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #16 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.