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

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 “ascii”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

de_DE shows at wp.org #4 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 1K+ 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

Document Gallery places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 112 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers 90K+ · 4.9★ (94) wp.org #1 2 Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259) wp.org #2 3 Export Media URLs 7K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #3 4 DTX – Dynamic Text Extension for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.7★ (99) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 3DPrint Lite 600+ · 4.8★ (37) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 CSV Importer 3K+ · 4.2★ (28) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 Document Gallery 8K+ · 4.8★ (112) wp.org #12 ↑2 5 too low 8 Add to Cart Button Custom Text 9K+ · 4.6★ (12) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Emoji Settings 2K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too low 10 de_DE 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 ↑1 6 too high 11 Easy 3D Viewer 1K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Export Order Items for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (9) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Block Referer Spam 500+ · 3.4★ (21) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too high 14 Secure Encrypted Form 50+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 UK Address Postcode Validation 700+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 2 too low 16 Structure Viewer – AI Context Builder, Code Search & MCP Tools 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓3 8 too low 17 Andreani WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #21 ↓2 4 too low 18 Glossary Tooltip – Highlight Terms & Show Tooltips 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Ecomail 1K+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #19 ↓1 20 PRyC WP: Sanitize file name (when upload) 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 Press3D 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 6 too high 22 3D Scene Viewer 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 6 too high 23 Flex SSL 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓2 1 too high 24 Simple Markdown 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 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.