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

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 “ascending”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Essential Content Types shows at wp.org #2 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 1562 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 signals wp.org

Quick and Easy FAQs 10K+ · 4.6★ (36) wp.org #1 2

WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #4 2 too low 3

Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager 100K+ · 4.8★ (298) wp.org #5 2 too low 4

YOP Poll 10K+ · 4.4★ (452) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89) wp.org #9 4 too low 6

More Sorting Options for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #3 3 too high 7

Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #13 6 too low 8

When Last Login 40K+ · 4.7★ (37) wp.org #8 9

Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562) wp.org #22 13 too low 10

FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125) wp.org #19 9 too low 11

WP Blog Post Layouts 9K+ · 4.7★ (83) wp.org #12 1 too low 12

Portfolio Filter Gallery – Photo Gallery 20K+ · 4.8★ (348) wp.org #20 8 too low 13

Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 P Post Order By Category 900+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #6 8 too high 15

Essential Content Types 20K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #2 14 too high 17

Category Posts in Custom Menu 2K+ · 4.8★ (43) wp.org #18 1 too low 18

List categories 5K+ · 4.5★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #14 4 too high 19

Ascending Posts by Fly Plugins 400+ · 3.7★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #11 8 too high 20

WP Simple HTML Sitemap 3K+ · 4.9★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #16 5 too high 22 D Default Sort Ascend 400+ · 4.9★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too high 23

Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

WP Sitemap Pages and Posts 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #21 3 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.