wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “api cache pro”
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 “api cache pro”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 4 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
Proxy Cache Purge shows at wp.org #11 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 50K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 26 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 1488 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #1 2 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #2 3 
Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #3 4 
Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Redis Object Cache 500K+ · 4.5★ (179)
wp.org #4 2 too high 7 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #7 8 
Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 400K+ · 4.9★ (1056)
wp.org #13 ↓2 5 too low 9 
Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428)
wp.org #12 ↑3 3 too low 10 
PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281)
wp.org #10 ↑2 11 
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #19 8 too low 12 Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN 70K+ · 4.7★ (1488)
wp.org #23 11 too low 13 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too low 14 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #24 10 too low 15 
WP REST Cache 10K+ · 4.9★ (42) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 7 too high 16 
10Web Booster – Website speed optimization, Cache & Page Speed optimizer 60K+ · 4.6★ (405)
wp.org #22 6 too low 17 
WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API 10K+ · 5.0★ (32)
wp.org #17 ↓1 18 
Comet Cache 20K+ · 4.4★ (108)
wp.org #21 3 too low 19 
SpeedyCache – Cache, Optimization, Performance 500K+ · 4.4★ (30) host-installed base
wp.org #9 10 too high 20 
Back In Stock Notifier for WooCommerce | WooCommerce Waitlist Pro 20K+ · 4.7★ (122) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↑4 4 too high 21 
xSpeed Cache: AI-Powered Performance Hub with MCP, Caching & CDN 10K+ · 5.0★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑4 1 too high 22 Proxy Cache Purge 50K+ · 4.4★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓1 11 too high 23 
Custom 404 Pro 7K+ · 4.2★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 8 too high 24 
Clear Cache Everywhere 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 10 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.