wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “avatar 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 “avatar tool”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Zamok – Security and Site Tools shows at wp.org #17 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 100+ 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.
Customer Reviews for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (1539)
wp.org #3 2 too low 2 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #4 ↑5 2 too low 3 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #5 2 too low 4 
EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1843)
wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 
AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874)
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 
Advanced User Avatar | Custom Profile Picture Uploader for WordPress, WooCommerce, and BuddyPress 300+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #2 4 too high 7 
Gravatar Enhanced – Avatars, Profiles, and Privacy 100K+ · 5.0★ (3) host-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #1 6 too high 8 
Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors 20K+ · 4.9★ (114)
wp.org #9 1 too low 9 
Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376)
wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too low 10 
User Profile Picture 40K+ · 4.6★ (59)
wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too high 11 
Molongui Authorship – Author Boxes, Guest Authors & Co-Authors for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (158)
wp.org #10 ↓2 1 too high 12 
Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259)
wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 
WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350)
wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 
GenerateBlocks 200K+ · 4.9★ (122)
wp.org #13 1 too high 15 
Nextend Social Login and Register 200K+ · 4.9★ (447)
wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16 
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134)
wp.org #14 ↑5 2 too high 17 
WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490)
wp.org #22 ↑2 5 too low 18 
UsersWP – Front-end login form, User Registration, User Profile & Members Directory plugin for WP 20K+ · 4.7★ (183)
wp.org #20 2 too low 19 
WPO365 | SEAMLESS WORDPRESS + MICROSOFT INTEGRATION (WPO365 | LOGIN) 10K+ · 4.9★ (154)
wp.org #23 4 too low 20 
Sidebar Login 9K+ · 4.5★ (78)
wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 
Schema Package – Structured Data & Rich Snippets Tool for SEO 200+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #21 22 
Projectopia – Project Management Tool 200+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too high 23 
Visibility – Lightweight SEO, AEO and GEO for Search and AI 600+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too high 24 Zamok – Security and Site Tools 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #17 7 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.