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

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 “billboard”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Ad Fuz – AI Ad Manager, Ad Inserter, Popup Ads & Banner Rotator shows at wp.org #9 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #1 2 PitchPrint 300+ · 3.7★ (30) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Printcart Store – Web to Print Product Designer for WooCommerce 60+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 HappyVR – Virtual Tour Builder & 360 Panorama Viewer 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Init Ad Engine – Flexible, Multi-Format, Secure 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 WP AdCenter – Ad Manager & Adsense Ads 900+ · 4.5★ (10) wp.org #15 9 too low 7 Widget Music Chart 20+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #14 7 too low 8 G33Z3R Birthday Song & Retro Music Widgets — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 FileJet Pro 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Mirrolo — AI Virtual Try-On, Product Photos & Shopping Assistant for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 KOPA QR — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 Placeholders — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 Ad Fuz – AI Ad Manager, Ad Inserter, Popup Ads & Banner Rotator — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Nori for Elementor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 eADV VIP 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Jimmy Branding — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 HM Image Slider 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 Business One ToolKit 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 T Tierra's Billboard Manager 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Top Music Charts Widget 20+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #16 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.