Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “bids”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 4 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

Microsoft Advertising Universal Event Tracking (UET) shows at wp.org #8 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #1 ↑2 2 NP Quote Request for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.6★ (87) wp.org #2 ↑2 3 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #5 ↑2 2 too low 4 Spam Protect for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #3 ↑2 1 too high 5 Ads.txt & App-ads.txt Manager for WordPress 2K+ · 4.8★ (48) wp.org #6 ↑3 1 too low 6 Auto Update Post Date 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 ↑2 2 too high 7 Add Pinterest conversion tags for Pinterest Ads + Site verification 1K+ · 3.3★ (9) wp.org #7 ↑4 8 Booking System Trafft 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 ↑3 3 too low 9 Vunelix Financial Widgets – Cryptocurrency, Stock Ticker & Forex 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 Bidvana – Auctions for WooCommerce 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑3 11 Gold Price Live – Gold & Silver Prices, Charts, Widgets, Melt Value Calculator 200+ · 2.5★ (8) wp.org #9 ↑3 2 too high 12 Woosa – Marktplaats for WooCommerce 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑4 2 too low 13 Salesforce Integration for WordPress 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↑2 2 too low 14 Precious Metals Charts and Widgets for WordPress 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑3 2 too high 15 R RT Auction Product for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 Bidra Auctions for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 4 too low 17 GlocalSaino Auctions Displayed by Shortcodes — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑1 4 too low 18 FeedAgentX – ChatGPT Ads Product Feed & Pixel for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Logicanvas Auctions for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 3 too low 20 AuctionVibe for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↑1 3 too low 21 Traffman — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too high 22 FishBSE Listings — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Loginify – Login Page Customizer 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑3 10 too high 24 Microsoft Advertising Universal Event Tracking (UET) 4K+ · 3.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↑2 16 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.