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

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 library”, 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

VK Block Patterns shows at wp.org #15 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 100K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 5039 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #1 2 Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) wp.org #2 3 Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #4 ↑3 1 too low 4 Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager 100K+ · 4.8★ (297) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7 Media Library Folders 10K+ · 4.3★ (465) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Block Visibility — Conditional Visibility Control for the Block Editor 40K+ · 4.9★ (108) wp.org #8 9 The Icon Block 40K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 Carousel Slider Block for Gutenberg 50K+ · 4.8★ (59) wp.org #11 ↑2 1 too low 11 Media Library Organizer – Folders, File Manager & Media Categories 20K+ · 4.7★ (150) wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #22 10 too low 13 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #19 ↑2 6 too low 14 SVG Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too high 15 Spectra Blocks – AI Website Builder for the Block Editor 60K+ · 4.6★ (53) wp.org #16 ↓2 1 too low 16 Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 FileBird Document Library 5K+ · 4.9★ (8) wp.org #12 ↑6 5 too high 18 Social Sharing Block 7K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #21 ↑2 3 too low 19 Button Block – Stylish buttons that get more clicks 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #18 ↑2 1 too high 20 External files in Media Library 500+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #14 ↓4 6 too high 21 Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Table Of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 VK Block Patterns 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 Unlimited Elements Blocks Library 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↑2 7 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.