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

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

Slider and Carousel Block – Responsive, Accessible shows at wp.org #14 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 900+ 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.

merit plugin signals wp.org

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #1 2

My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #2 3

SimpleTOC – Table of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.9★ (77) wp.org #3 4

Web Accessibility (formally known as Ally) – WCAG Scanning, Guided Fixes, Usability Widget 500K+ · 2.9★ (162) low rating, top placement wp.org #4 5

My Tickets – Accessible Event Ticketing 600+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #6 1 too low 6

Web Accessibility by accessiBe 10K+ · 4.1★ (32) not PHP-current wp.org #7 1 too low 7

Abbreviation Button for the Block Editor 300+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #5 2 too high 8

Editoria11y Accessibility Checker 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #12 4 too low 9

Tota11y WP 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #8 1 too high 10

Lang Attribute for the Block Editor 90+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #9 1 too high 11

Accessibility Tool Kit: WP Accessibility checker plugin for WCAG, Section 508, ADA, EAA Compliance 1K+ · 4.8★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #17 6 too low 12

Accessible Carousel & Slider – WCAG AA Compliant Slideshow 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #11 1 too high 13

Abs – Additional block styles 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #10 3 too high 14

WBD Logo Carousel For Gutenberg 600+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #13 1 too high 15

Web accessibility widget by tabnav 300+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #18 3 too low 16

Logo Slider – Infinite Carousel & Marquee Block 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #20 4 too low 17

ZenPress 60+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #23 6 too low 18

Nota 400+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #15 3 too high 19

Slider and Carousel Block – Responsive, Accessible 900+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #14 5 too high 20

Tabs Block – Responsive Gutenberg Tabs for Block Editor 700+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #16 4 too high 21

Improving Search Form Accessibility 700+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #22 1 too low 22

Uplink Admin Menu Manager 50+ · 4.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #19 3 too high 23

Language Attribute for Container Blocks and Pages/Posts 20+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #21 2 too high 24

Libration Accessibility Widget, Checker and Real Code Fixes – WCAG and EAA 20+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #24

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.