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

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 “anniversaries”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

WP Gravity Forms Constant Contact Plugin shows at wp.org #7 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 600+ 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

Finale Lite – Sales Countdown Timer & Discount for WooCommerce places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 151 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 wp.org
1 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #1 2 Popups for Divi 100K+ · 4.8★ (442) wp.org #2 3 FunnelKit Automations – Email Marketing Automation and CRM for WordPress & WooCommerce 20K+ · 5.0★ (346) wp.org #3 4 Gratisfaction- Loyalty, Rewards , Referral, Birthday and Giveaway Program 600+ · 4.8★ (205) wp.org #4 5 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 ShopMagic – email automation for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (78) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 MembershipWorks – Membership, Events & Directory 2K+ · 4.4★ (37) wp.org #6 1 too high 8 Brevo for WooCommerce 30K+ · 3.4★ (55) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 MyRewards 2K+ · 4.7★ (58) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Finale Lite – Sales Countdown Timer & Discount for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.7★ (151) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 WP eCards – Branded Digital Greeting Cards 300+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #12 1 too low 12 Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 NM Gift Registry and Wishlist Lite 200+ · 4.9★ (25) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 Timeline Module for Divi 3K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Gratisfaction- Contests Giveaways Referral Loyalty Rewards and Birthdays Program 20+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 MarketKing — Ultimate WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace Solution 700+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 Product Delivery Date for WooCommerce – Lite 1K+ · 4.1★ (13) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 FireDrum Email Marketing 40+ · 4.9★ (8) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 WP Gravity Forms Constant Contact Plugin 600+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 12 too high 20 S Simple RSVP 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 Herodotus – On This Day 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 ShopMagic – Twilio SMS 700+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Innovs HR – Complete Human Resource Management System for Your Business 10+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 WP-HR Manager: The Human Resources Plugin for WordPress 200+ · 2.0★ (5) 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.