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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “authoring tool”

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 “authoring tool”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 2 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

Experience API for Sensei LMS by GrassBlade shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Animation Addons – Elementor Addons, GSAP Animations, Elementor V4 Atomic Widgets & Elementor Templates places #4 on merit, 4.6★ from 66 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 LifterLMS – WP LMS for eLearning, Online Courses, & Quizzes 10K+ · 4.8★ (393) wp.org #5 4 too low 2 Create Block Theme 20K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too low 3 Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69) wp.org #13 ↓1 10 too low 4 Animation Addons – Elementor Addons, GSAP Animations, Elementor V4 Atomic Widgets & Elementor Templates 10K+ · 4.6★ (66) wp.org #17 ↓1 13 too low 5 Experience API for LearnPress by GrassBlade 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 4 too high 6 Editoria11y Accessibility Checker 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #6 7 WP Document Revisions 2K+ · 3.7★ (23) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too low 8 Experience API for TutorLMS by GrassBlade 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 Topic Progression Using Storyline/Captivate for LearnDash 400+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #4 5 too high 10 Experience API for LifterLMS by Grassblade 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 7 too high 11 Experience API for MasterStudy by GrassBlade 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too high 12 Experience API for WP Courseware by Grassblade 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 CourseRelay – SCORM Support for LearnDash LMS 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑8 3 too high 14 AR for WooCommerce – 3D Product Viewer & Augmented Reality — · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 ZenPress 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↑2 7 too low 16 DiviOps Agent 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 Experience API for GamiPress by Grassblade 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Pattern Builder 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 Axtolab AI Connector 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 20 Pull Quotes 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 21 HyperPress | Hypermedia for WordPress (HTMX or Datastar) 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 SmartCloud AI-Kit – Chatbot and Semantic Search 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 EV Puzzles 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Experience API for Sensei LMS by GrassBlade 20+ · 2.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓1 12 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.