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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “block http”

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

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

Gmap Block shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 216 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #1 2 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #2 3 Block Visibility — Conditional Visibility Control for the Block Editor 40K+ · 4.9★ (108) wp.org #3 4 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ · 5.0★ (88) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 HTTP Requests Manager 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 SVG Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 Spectra Blocks – AI Website Builder for the Block Editor 60K+ · 4.6★ (53) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 WP Cron HTTP Auth 1K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 iQ Block Country 20K+ · 3.9★ (166) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 Create Block Theme 20K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 Button Block – Stylish buttons that get more clicks 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Better Block Editor (BBE) 6K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #16 17 Block Editor Colors 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Highlighting Code Block 10K+ · 4.5★ (20) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Gmap Block 10K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 10 too high 22 VK Blocks 100K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Easy Tabs Block – Smart, Lightweight & Responsive Tabs for the Block Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Flip Box Block 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 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.