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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “app creator”

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 “app creator”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

SimplyBook.me – Booking and reservations calendar shows at wp.org #15 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 30K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 194 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #1 2 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #4 ↑2 2 too low 3 WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too low 4 WappPress – Convert Site to App Fast – WordPress to Mobile App Builder 1K+ · 3.6★ (39) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #5 6 MStore API – Create Native Android & iOS Apps On The Cloud 2K+ · 3.7★ (21) wp.org #3 ↑1 3 too high 7 Advanced Form Integration — Connect Forms to 300+ Apps 9K+ · 4.8★ (91) wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too low 8 AppMySite – WordPress & WooCommerce Mobile App Builder (No-Code Android & iOS App Maker) 7K+ · 4.3★ (138) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too high 9 Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 Social Preview and Open Graph Tags 50K+ · 4.6★ (122) wp.org #18 ↓1 8 too low 11 DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer 200K+ · 4.9★ (194) wp.org #22 ↓7 11 too low 12 CartFlows – Funnel Builder & Checkout Plugin for WooCommerce 200K+ · 4.8★ (517) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too low 13 WPVR – 360 Panorama viewer and Virtual Tour Builder for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (133) wp.org #24 ↓3 11 too low 14 Create 6K+ · 4.3★ (25) wp.org #11 ↑5 3 too high 15 AppPresser – Mobile App Framework 900+ · 3.7★ (53) wp.org #8 ↓1 7 too high 16 Creator LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Coaches, Cohorts & Course Creators 100+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #13 ↓4 3 too high 17 Add to Home Screen & Progressive Web App 1K+ · 3.7★ (25) wp.org #10 ↑1 7 too high 18 Redirection for Contact Form 7 200K+ · 4.7★ (275) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Jetpack VideoPress 7K+ · 4.0★ (16) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too high 21 WPGraphQL Yoast SEO Addon 10K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 Mirror App – Social Gallery Feed 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too high 23 Wallet Up – Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle & QR Code Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑6 7 too high 24 SimplyBook.me – Booking and reservations calendar 30K+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #15 9 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.