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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “article rewrite”

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 “article rewrite”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 5 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

Simple Post Publish & Rewrite using API shows at wp.org #3 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 10+ 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

EWWW Image Optimizer places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 1842 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 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #1 2 WP RSS Aggregator – RSS Import, Feed to Post, Autoblogging, AI Content 40K+ · 4.5★ (565) wp.org #4 ↓2 2 too low 3 WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too low 6 Slim SEO – AI SEO Plugin, Lightweight, Fast & Automated 70K+ · 4.7★ (136) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 Media Library Folders 10K+ · 4.3★ (465) wp.org #14 ↓1 7 too low 8 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 RSS Aggregator by Feedzy – Feed to Post, Autoblogging, News & YouTube Video Feeds Aggregator 40K+ · 4.6★ (361) wp.org #16 ↑1 7 too low 10 EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #22 ↓1 12 too low 11 GetGenie – AI SEO Assistant & Content Writer with Keyword Research, AEO & GEO 70K+ · 4.8★ (119) wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too low 12 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #24 ↓1 12 too low 13 AI WP Writer – SEO content generator, chatGPT, Gemini, Claude 3K+ · 4.9★ (23) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 SEO Engine – Smart SEO with AI, Schema & Redirection for WordPress 1K+ · 4.9★ (48) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 Content Egg – Affiliate Product Importer & Price Comparison 10K+ · 3.9★ (56) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 VK All in One Expansion Unit 100K+ · 4.0★ (7) wp.org #6 10 too high 17 BotWriter – AI Writer & SEO Content Generator 1K+ · 4.4★ (16) wp.org #15 2 too high 18 ActivityPub 6K+ · 4.9★ (40) wp.org #21 ↓5 3 too low 19 Disable Right Click RB – Content Copy Protection, Prevent Copy & No Right Click 600+ · 4.2★ (14) wp.org #19 20 Simple Post Publish & Rewrite using API 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 ↑1 17 too high 21 Was This Helpful? – Article Feedback 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑2 14 too high 22 Servebolt Optimizer 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 Aimogen – AI Content Writer, Chatbot, Editor and AI Automation for WordPress 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↑1 5 too high 24 Cubix AI Article Generator 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 13 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.