Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “avoid repeating”

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 “avoid repeating”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 6 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

PopupRoulette shows at wp.org #4 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 200+ 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

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #6 on merit, 4.7★ from 5038 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874) wp.org #1 2 Better Search Replace 1M+ · 4.3★ (546) wp.org #2 3 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 SQLite Object Cache 10K+ · 5.0★ (51) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Import WP – CSV & XML Import Export for WordPress 4K+ · 4.4★ (25) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) wp.org #15 9 too low 7 Admin Page Spider 1K+ · 4.8★ (22) wp.org #7 8 Event Organiser 20K+ · 4.6★ (140) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools 30K+ · 4.6★ (535) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 CMB2 300K+ · 5.0★ (91) wp.org #10 11 Order Status History for WooCommerce 900+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 PopupRoulette 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #4 8 too high 13 Spiffy Calendar 2K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #11 2 too high 14 Project Manager – AI Powered Project Management, Task Management, Kanban Board & Time Tracker 5K+ · 3.8★ (187) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 CF7 Mate – Contact Form 7 Styler, Multi-Step Forms & Conditional Logic 20K+ · 3.9★ (46) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 CP Multi View Events Calendar 900+ · 4.3★ (46) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 Marijuana Age Verify 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 WP All Export – Order Export for WooCommerce 3K+ · 3.9★ (8) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 Easy Age Verify 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Export Orders for WooCommerce – AI & MCP for Claude and ChatGPT 500+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Advanced Gallery & Repeater Fields for ACF 600+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 Product Widget Slider for WooCommerce 200+ · 2.2★ (6) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 GreenPay(tm) by Green.Money 100+ · 1.7★ (6) wp.org #23 1 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.