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

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 “annoyance”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

WPC Copy Billing Address for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #4 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP YouTube Lyte places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 206 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Machete 6K+ · 5.0★ (52) wp.org #1 2 Change Text Case 1K+ · 4.8★ (21) wp.org #2 3 Persistent Login 5K+ · 3.9★ (26) wp.org #3 4 WP YouTube Lyte 20K+ · 4.8★ (206) wp.org #13 9 too low 5 Worth The Read 3K+ · 4.3★ (27) wp.org #11 6 too low 6 Variation Monster – Product Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 10+ · 4.8★ (8) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 M Menu Humility 200+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #18 11 too low 8 AppPresser – Mobile App Framework 900+ · 3.7★ (53) wp.org #14 6 too low 9 Sticky Preview and Publish Buttons by FibroJedi 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Geo Targetly Geo Popup 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 NextGEN Gallery Optimizer 1K+ · 3.1★ (29) wp.org #24 13 too low 12 DigitalCube Popup Builder 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 Collapsi for the Block Editor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Mirage 404 Heatmap & Logs — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 WPC Copy Billing Address for WooCommerce 200+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #4 11 too high 16 COD Deposits and Partial Payments for WooCommerce – Advance Payment on Cash on Delivery — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Stop Logging Me Out 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 2 too high 18 W WP SEO Humility — · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 4 too low 19 X Xmail – The Right Way 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 Super Interactive Image Placeholders — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 PlusMinus Button 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 H Hide Noisy Metaboxes — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 H Houdini 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 T Theme to Browser (T2B) Control 10+ · 4.3★ (3) 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.