wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “bandwidth saving”

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 “bandwidth saving”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 3 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

URL Image Importer – Import External Images to the Media Library from URL, CSV & XML shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Super Cache places #12 on merit, 4.3★ from 1346 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #1 2

Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #2 1 too high 4

Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #4 ↑1 5

EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #7 2 too low 6

Seriously Simple Podcasting 20K+ · 4.7★ (330) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7

Imsanity 200K+ · 4.9★ (291) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too low 8

PhastPress 10K+ · 4.9★ (99) wp.org #9 1 too low 9

ThumbPress – Compress Images, Manage Thumbnails, Detect Image Issues, WebP/AVIF, Lazy Loading, Hotlinking & More 20K+ · 3.7★ (117) wp.org #6 3 too high 10

Database Backup for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (66) wp.org #8 2 too high 11

Highcompress Image Compressor 600+ · 4.9★ (143) wp.org #14 3 too low 12

WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #21 ↑2 9 too low 13

NitroPack – Performance, Page Speed & Cache Plugin for Core Web Vitals, CDN & Image Optimization 80K+ · 4.3★ (311) wp.org #24 11 too low 14

TinyPNG Image Optimization – Image Compression JPEG & PNG | Convert to WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.5★ (181) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 1 too low 15

Cimo – Free Instant Image Optimizer & WebP Converter 10K+ · 4.9★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #16 1 too low 16

Squeeze – Browser-Based Image Compression & WebP Converter (No API, No Limits) 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓3 3 too high 17

AEH Speed Optimization: Browser Cache, Optimized Minify, Lazy Loading & Image Optimization 2K+ · 3.2★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too high 18

Infinite Uploads – Offload, Optimize & Organize Your Media Library 800+ · 4.4★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓1 5 too low 19

TicketMachine Event Manager & Calendar 100+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20

Images Optimize and Upload CF7 700+ · 4.8★ (14) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #19 1 too high 21

URL Image Importer – Import External Images to the Media Library from URL, CSV & XML 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↑1 10 too high 22

StaticDelivr: Free CDN, Image Optimization & Speed 50+ · 5.0★ (3) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 4 too high 23 J JTZL's In-Browser Cache 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #17 6 too high 24

Soovex WebP Converter – Convert Images | Optimize & Compress | Unlimited Conversions 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #20 4 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.