wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “avif”
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 “avif”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 1M+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.7★ average from 81 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
W3 Total Cache places #12 on merit, 4.4★ from 5420 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF 500K+ · 4.9★ (1106)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF 900K+ · 4.3★ (1656)
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 300K+ · 4.5★ (830)
wp.org #3 4 
CompressX — AVIF & WebP Converter, Media Replacement 40K+ · 5.0★ (197)
wp.org #4 5 
Perfect Images: Regenerate Thumbnails, Image Sizes, WebP & AVIF 60K+ · 4.8★ (279)
wp.org #5 6 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #6 7 
Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053)
wp.org #7 ↑2 8 
Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842)
wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too low 10 
Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428)
wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too low 11 
Robin Image Optimizer – Unlimited Image Optimization, WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.4★ (131)
wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too low 12 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #19 7 too low 13 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #22 9 too low 14 
TinyPNG Image Optimization – Image Compression JPEG & PNG | Convert to WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.5★ (181) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↑9 3 too high 15 
Kraken.io Image Optimizer – Compress, Convert to WebP & AVIF, Resize & Bulk Optimize 10K+ · 4.5★ (119)
wp.org #20 ↓2 5 too low 16 
Plus WebP or AVIF 5K+ · 4.6★ (26)
wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too high 17 
ShortPixel Adaptive Images – WebP, AVIF, CDN, Image Optimization 10K+ · 4.8★ (145) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓1 18 
ThumbPress – Compress Images, Manage Thumbnails, Detect Image Issues, WebP/AVIF, Lazy Loading, Hotlinking & More 20K+ · 3.7★ (117)
wp.org #18 ↓3 19 
QuickWebP – WebP & AVIF Image Optimizer, Compression & SEO for WordPress 8K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #14 5 too high 20 
Modern Image Formats 100K+ · 3.6★ (26)
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too low 21 
AVIF Uploader – Upload, Display and Fix AVIF Images 4K+ · 3.4★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 12 too high 22 
TheDock Media – Image Optimizer: Compress Images, Convert to WebP & AVIF 400+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF 1M+ · 1.7★ (81) host-installed base
wp.org #8 ↓1 15 too high 24 
I-PR AVIF Converter – Automatic Image Optimization 20+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
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.