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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “bare link”

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 “bare link”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

DevDome Link Monitor: Broken Link Checker, Dead Link Checker, Broken Link Finder shows at wp.org #4 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Leaflet Map places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 58 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Redirection 2M+ · 4.4★ (703) wp.org #1 2 PDF Embedder – PDF Viewer & Embed PDF Files for WordPress 300K+ · 4.7★ (529) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (195) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Download Manager 100K+ · 4.1★ (1006) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Colorlib 404 Customizer 5K+ · 4.7★ (51) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 XML Sitemap Generator for Google 1M+ · 4.8★ (2233) wp.org #13 7 too low 7 GT Link Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 5 too high 8 WP-Print 8K+ · 4.4★ (41) wp.org #12 4 too low 9 Leaflet Map 30K+ · 4.9★ (58) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Digital Goods for WooCommerce Checkout 3K+ · 4.5★ (42) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 WPify Woo – Withdrawal, CRN/VAT, QR payments, Heureka and more for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #11 12 Activity Link Preview For BuddyPress 100+ · 4.0★ (5) wp.org #3 9 too high 13 No Right Click Images 20K+ · 4.7★ (52) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker – WCAG, ADA, EAA and Section 508 compliance 10K+ · 4.9★ (80) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 WP-DraftsForFriends 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 Events Search & Filter Bar for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #16 17 Royal MCP – Secure AI Connector for Claude, ChatGPT & any LLM via MCP 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #17 18 Content Mask 1K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 DevDome Link Monitor: Broken Link Checker, Dead Link Checker, Broken Link Finder 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 15 too high 20 CryptX 10K+ · 4.5★ (20) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Livid – Video Hosting 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 6 too high 22 SU Blocks – Blogcard 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Megop SEO – Bulk Editor, Internal Links, Broken Links & Search Console 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 Contributor Résumé and Insights 10+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.