wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “automatic popup”
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 “automatic popup”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
MakeITeasy Popup shows at wp.org #9 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
LocoAI – Auto Translate for Loco Translate places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 642 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.
Depicter — Popup & Slider Builder 70K+ · 4.6★ (236)
wp.org #1 2 
Popup Maker – Responsive popup, Exit Intent Pop up, Email Optins, Autoresponder & More 7K+ · 4.5★ (144)
wp.org #2 3 
Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701)
wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too low 4 
Popup Box – Create Countdown, Coupon, Video, Contact Form Popups 40K+ · 4.6★ (82)
wp.org #4 5 
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too low 6 
Brave – Create Popup, Optins, Lead Generation, Survey, Sticky Elements & Interactive Content 20K+ · 4.8★ (209)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 
Popup Box – Easily Create WordPress Popups 6K+ · 5.0★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #3 4 too high 8 LocoAI – Auto Translate for Loco Translate 70K+ · 4.9★ (642)
wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 
Automatic YouTube Gallery – Embed Auto-Updating YouTube Video Galleries, Feeds, Playlists & Channels 9K+ · 4.8★ (31)
wp.org #5 ↓1 4 too high 10 
Customer Engagement System – Popup Builder, Forms, CRM & Email Marketing Automation 9K+ · 4.5★ (340)
wp.org #10 11 
Firelight Lightbox 200K+ · 4.8★ (361)
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too low 13 
Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463)
wp.org #23 10 too low 14 
Boxzilla – WordPress Popup Builder 20K+ · 4.8★ (133)
wp.org #18 ↑1 4 too low 15 
MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435)
wp.org #24 9 too low 16 
FireBox – WooCommerce Popup Builder, Exit Intent Popup, Email Optin & Cart Abandonment 6K+ · 4.8★ (76)
wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too low 17 
AI Translation For TranslatePress 10K+ · 4.8★ (69)
wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too low 18 
Buttonizer – Floating Menus, Sticky Buttons, & Popup Builder 70K+ · 4.5★ (151)
wp.org #21 3 too low 19 
Popup Builder by Claspo – Email Popup, Spin the Wheel, Exit Intent 1K+ · 5.0★ (40)
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 
WebToffee eCommerce Marketing Automation – Email marketing, Popups, Email customizer 10K+ · 4.8★ (54)
wp.org #22 ↑2 2 too low 21 
Superb Addons: Blocks, Patterns, Pre-built Pages, Sliders, Popups, Free Forms, Animations & More 80K+ · 4.9★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑2 1 too high 22 MakeITeasy Popup 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #9 13 too high 23 
Advanced Popups 60K+ · 4.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #14 9 too high 24 
Modal Popup Box — Popup Maker & Popup Builder 2K+ · 3.5★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑1 13 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.