wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “app like”
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 like”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Mobile Smart App Banner shows at wp.org #13 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 874 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833)
wp.org #1 2 
Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519)
wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too low 6 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too low 7 
CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135)
wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too low 9 
PWA for WP – Progressive Web Apps Made Simple 10K+ · 4.6★ (230)
wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too low 10 
Super Progressive Web Apps 40K+ · 4.6★ (225)
wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too low 11 AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874)
wp.org #20 ↑3 9 too low 12 
Ads.txt & App-ads.txt Manager for WordPress 2K+ · 4.8★ (48)
wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too high 13 
Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033)
wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too low 14 
UPI QR Code Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.8★ (256)
wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too low 15 
App for Cloudflare® 1K+ · 4.7★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↑1 9 too high 16 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #14 ↓12 2 too high 17 
WPMobile.App – Android and iOS App Builder 3K+ · 4.8★ (162)
wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 
Login for Google Apps by WPAuth 10K+ · 4.6★ (64)
wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too high 19 
WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237)
wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too high 20 
PWA — easy way to Progressive Web App 1K+ · 4.8★ (26)
wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 
Form to Chat App ⚡️ 2K+ · 4.7★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 
Add to Home Screen & Progressive Web App 1K+ · 3.7★ (25)
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 
Mobile App Canvas – Convert your Website Into an App for iOS and Android 200+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #19 4 too high 24 Mobile Smart App Banner 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑2 11 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.