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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “base64”

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 “base64”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Base64 Shortlinks shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 10+ 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

Freesoul Deactivate Plugins – Disable plugins on individual WordPress pages places #3 on merit, 4.8★ from 104 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API 10K+ · 5.0★ (32) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Freesoul Deactivate Plugins – Disable plugins on individual WordPress pages 8K+ · 4.8★ (104) wp.org #16 13 too low 4 Contact Form to Any API 8K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #8 ↑2 4 too low 5 Shipi – DHL Express Integration for Woocommerce 100+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 Payment Gateway for Redsys & WooCommerce Lite 20K+ · 4.9★ (87) wp.org #12 ↑3 6 too low 7 C Contact Form 7 to API 1K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Inline Image Base64 – inline specific images into the HTML 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 7 too high 9 Flex MCP – Connect ChatGPT, Claude and AI agents with MCP, Undo, Abilities and Tools. 900+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Customer Email Verification for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.8★ (47) wp.org #19 ↑2 9 too low 11 Royal MCP – Secure AI Connector for Claude, ChatGPT & any LLM via MCP 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #9 ↑3 2 too high 12 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #10 ↓2 2 too high 13 Bradmax Player 1K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #15 ↑3 2 too low 14 AltTextLab AI Alt Text Generator: Bulk Image Alt Text for SEO & Accessibility 100+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too high 15 ImgSEO – AI Image Alt Text Generator & Image SEO Tools 400+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #14 ↑3 1 too high 16 Atlant Security 700+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #18 ↓7 2 too low 17 Base64 Shortlinks 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↑3 11 too high 18 MakeITeasy Back To Top 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↑2 7 too high 19 FAQ Magic – AI powered FAQ generator 80+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too low 20 OrganicStack Publisher 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 JennyStudio Identicons 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↑2 4 too high 22 IATO MCP 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Source Lens – Code Finder 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 QRCode 400+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↑1 2 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.