wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “argument”
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 “argument”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
Pay with Vipps and MobilePay for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #11 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 5K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 13 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 995 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343)
wp.org #1 2 
Two Factor 100K+ · 4.7★ (209)
wp.org #2 3 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #3 4 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
Mail logging & Catcher 20K+ · 4.9★ (108)
wp.org #7 8 
Check & Log Email – Easy Email Testing & Mail logging 90K+ · 4.8★ (292) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 
Image Widget 100K+ · 4.9★ (287)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273)
wp.org #14 4 too low 11 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) not PHP-current
wp.org #21 10 too low 12 
WP Crontrol 300K+ · 4.4★ (167)
wp.org #17 5 too low 13 
MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies 10K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #9 4 too high 14 
Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 2 too high 15 M Mammoth .docx converter 20K+ · 4.8★ (62)
wp.org #20 5 too low 16 
WP Swiper 4K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #16 17 
Easy MCP AI – Connect Claude to WordPress: MCP Server for ChatGPT & AI Agents 30K+ · 4.9★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #13 4 too high 18 
Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Pay with Vipps and MobilePay for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.8★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #11 8 too high 20 
WP-Print 8K+ · 4.4★ (41)
wp.org #22 2 too low 21 
Timed Content 5K+ · 4.6★ (41)
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Kama Thumbnail 8K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 
Admin Search 1K+ · 4.5★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 8 too high 24 
Unique Title Checker 900+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 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.