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

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 “aps”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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

Happy Ads shows at wp.org #11 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Yeloni Exit Popup | (Free) GDPR Compliance places #7 on merit, 3.9★ from 59 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Advanced coupon for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 Simple Business Directory – AI Powered 300+ · 4.9★ (62) wp.org #8 6 too low 3 Vietnam Checkout for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Listdom: AI-powered Business Directory with Classifieds Ads Listings 1K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 AP Family Trees 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 4 too high 6 UniConsent Cookie Consent CMP – Consent Manager 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Yeloni Exit Popup | (Free) GDPR Compliance 700+ · 3.9★ (59) wp.org #18 ↑1 11 too low 8 Payment Gateway with MPGS for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Speedy And Econt Shipping 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Convert WPBakery to Elementor 500+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #4 6 too high 11 GatewayAPI 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #19 ↓1 8 too low 12 Bizuno Accounting – ERP/Accounting/CRM (for WordPress) 20+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #13 ↓2 1 too low 13 Drusoft Shipping for Econt 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 BG Couriers for WooCommerce 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑4 2 too high 15 AP Family Archive – Genealogy Website from GEDCOM — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too high 16 Pigeon Express for WooCommerce 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 Print.App 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 Happy Ads 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 7 too high 19 AP Writer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑4 2 too high 20 AP Family Research – Genealogy Research Log & Evidence — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓6 1 too low 21 AP Accessibility Fixer for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 AP One-Name Studies – Surname Study & Distribution Maps — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓6 1 too low 23 AP One-Place Studies – Parish & Village Record Studies — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓4 1 too low 24 PatchOn Agent 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑2 4 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.