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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “api connector”

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 connector”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 2 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

HostAway Connector shows at wp.org #11 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 80+ 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

Connector for Gravity Forms and Google Sheets places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 66 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ · 5.0★ (133) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874) wp.org #9 ↑3 5 too low 5 WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (195) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Easy MCP AI – Connect Claude to WordPress: MCP Server for ChatGPT & AI Agents 30K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too high 7 Make Connector 70K+ · 2.7★ (25) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 Royal MCP – Secure AI Connector for Claude, ChatGPT & any LLM via MCP 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too high 9 Connector for Gravity Forms and Google Sheets 3K+ · 4.7★ (66) wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too low 10 Enable Abilities for MCP 5K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11 GSheetConnector – WPForms Google Sheets Connector, Save WPForms Lite & PRO Entries to Database & Sheets 7K+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 GSheetConnector – Elementor Forms Google Sheet Connector to Sync Submissions to Google Sheets 9K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #23 11 too low 13 AI 60K+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too low 14 MembershipWorks Login Connector 800+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 HuxxConnect – REST API Connector for WordPress 20+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #13 ↑1 2 too high 16 WSP MCP – Free MCP Plugin for WordPress: Connect Claude, ChatGPT & AI Agents 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 YLabs AI Assistant Connector 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18 Connector for Propstack 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 HostAway Connector 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↓1 8 too high 20 YLabs AI Site Manager with ChatGPT and Claude 5K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Autoiview Connector 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too high 22 C ContentGecko Connector 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↑2 8 too high 23 DuetG AI Connector 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 Bizdesire Advanced Connector for Hostaway 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 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.