Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “bin number”

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 “bin number”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 6 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

IP2Location Variables shows at wp.org #6 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Team Members – Multi Language Supported Team Plugin places #7 on merit, 5.0★ from 85 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 Product Code for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (30) wp.org #1 2 IP2Location Country Blocker 30K+ · 4.1★ (128) wp.org #2 3 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – CTX Feed – Support 220+ Shopping, AI & Social Channels 90K+ · 4.6★ (838) wp.org #4 5 WidgetKit for Elementor – Lightweight Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 7K+ · 4.5★ (35) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 Team Members – Multi Language Supported Team Plugin 6K+ · 5.0★ (85) wp.org #19 ↓6 12 too low 8 Barcode Generator: Print Product Labels & Order Barcode Label (A4, Thermal/Roll, Letter) 900+ · 4.5★ (74) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Proxy Cache Purge 50K+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too high 10 WPify Woo – Withdrawal, CRN/VAT, QR payments, Heureka and more for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too low 11 Fast eBay Listings 400+ · 4.5★ (18) wp.org #11 ↓1 12 Asaas Gateway for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.2★ (23) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 Easy 3D Viewer 1K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #9 ↓3 4 too high 14 AfterShip Shipping: Free Shipping Labels for WooCommerce, Discounted Shipping Rates 200+ · 4.1★ (17) wp.org #24 10 too low 15 Bit CRM: Sales CRM Manage Lead, Contact, Deal, Invoice, Client Portal & Collect Payment 300+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Order Picking App | Order Picking, Barcode Scanning & Fulfillment for WooCommerce 30+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #21 ↓6 5 too low 17 CIELO API PIX, credit card, debit payment for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #22 ↓6 5 too low 18 B Bin Tracker Online — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 IP2Location Variables 100+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #6 ↓2 13 too high 20 QRAuth – Passwordless & Social Login 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓6 3 too low 21 SnapShots 20+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #17 ↑5 4 too high 22 HBLPAY Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↓1 12 too high 23 CheckoutGuard 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓6 5 too high 24 Substack Importer 1K+ · 2.8★ (4) wp.org #20 ↓6 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.