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← Rankings

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

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

Faire for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #14 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Tabby Responsive Tabs places #2 on merit, 4.9★ from 144 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 B BuddyPress Simple Events 200+ · 3.7★ (12) wp.org #1 2 Tabby Responsive Tabs 10K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #15 ↓1 13 too low 3 Wedding RSVP – Wedding Guest List, Meal Choices & RSVP Tracker 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #3 4 Quick Event Manager 1K+ · 4.9★ (67) wp.org #13 ↓2 9 too low 5 Event Block 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Nex Directory — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 LAPDI Events — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↑11 2 too high 9 BSX SnapBook — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓2 1 too high 10 G Galani Membership Manager for Associations — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11 Alynivo – Live Chat & AI Chatbot for Customer Support — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Events Manager Pro – Mollie Payments 60+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #22 10 too low 13 LimaBook Restaurant & Cafe Reservations — WordPress Booking Plugin 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑2 3 too high 14 A ARIWEB Event Invitations & RSVP — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓2 3 too high 15 Leadovation Aero Courses — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too high 16 WebCalendar 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 17 ZIGnotch — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓2 18 Prihlasovanie na sväté omše — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 19 Gather Grove Booking — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Faire for WooCommerce 800+ · 3.0★ (5) wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too high 21 Ninety in Ninety — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 22 WordCamp Belo Horizonte Badges — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 The sixtyseven song requester plugin 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 T TicketTool 10+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.