wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “availability calendar”

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 “availability calendar”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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

Bookings Calendar for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #8 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Simply Schedule Appointments places #10 on merit, 5.0★ from 155 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #1 2

Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) not PHP-current wp.org #2 3

Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia 90K+ · 4.6★ (793) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4

Booking Calendar 40K+ · 4.8★ (657) wp.org #6 2 too low 5

EventPrime – Events Calendar, Bookings, Tickets & AI 7K+ · 4.4★ (85) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 ↑1 2 too high 6

Appointment Hour Booking – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (524) wp.org #9 ↑3 3 too low 7

WP Simple Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.8★ (227) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 ↓2 2 too high 8

WP Booking System – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (344) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 1 too high 9

Appointment Booking Plugin – LatePoint | Calendar & Scheduling for WordPress 100K+ · 4.9★ (106) wp.org #11 ↓3 2 too low 10

Simply Schedule Appointments 50K+ · 5.0★ (155) wp.org #18 8 too low 11

Availability Datepicker – Booking Calendar for Contact Form 7 – Input WP 10K+ · 4.1★ (42) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too high 12

Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce – Sell Tickets, Event Registration, RSVP & Event Calendar 7K+ · 4.5★ (167) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #12 ↓2 13

Easy Appointment Booking & Scheduling Plugin – Webba Booking Calendar 2K+ · 4.9★ (157) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 2 too low 14

Appointment Booking Calendar 1K+ · 4.2★ (92) not PHP-current wp.org #13 ↓2 1 too high 15

Fluent Booking – The Ultimate Appointments Scheduling, Events Booking, Events Calendar Solution 20K+ · 4.7★ (46) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16

WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249) wp.org #21 ↓2 5 too low 17

Timetics – Appointment Booking Calendar & Scheduling 2K+ · 4.6★ (36) wp.org #24 ↓2 7 too low 18

Bookings Calendar for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #8 10 too high 19

BA Book Everything 10K+ · 4.2★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #22 3 too low 20

Bookit — Booking & Appointment Calendar 4K+ · 3.8★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too high 21

Hydra Booking — Appointment Scheduling & Booking Calendar 2K+ · 4.4★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22

Scheduling Plugin – Online Booking for WordPress 500+ · 3.7★ (17) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓3 1 too low 23

Simple calendar for Elementor 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓2 7 too high 24

MotoPress Booking Calendar 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 10 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.