wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “block options”
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 options”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
VK Block Patterns shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 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
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 27820 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets 100K+ · 4.9★ (1516)
wp.org #3 4 
Block Visibility — Conditional Visibility Control for the Block Editor 40K+ · 4.9★ (108)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
The Icon Block 40K+ · 5.0★ (29)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Carousel Slider Block for Gutenberg 50K+ · 4.8★ (59)
wp.org #6 7 
Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251)
wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 
Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ · 5.0★ (88)
wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27820)
wp.org #23 ↑1 14 too low 10 
Options for Twenty Twenty-One 6K+ · 4.9★ (64)
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too low 11 
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833)
wp.org #20 ↓4 9 too low 12 
Options for Twenty Seventeen 8K+ · 4.8★ (57)
wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too low 13 
Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216)
wp.org #21 ↓1 8 too low 14 
SVG Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too high 15 
Flexible Table Block 40K+ · 4.9★ (34)
wp.org #15 ↓1 16 
Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90)
wp.org #19 3 too low 17 
Options for Twenty Twenty 3K+ · 4.7★ (31)
wp.org #22 ↓1 5 too low 18 
Button Block – Stylish buttons that get more clicks 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 
Product Option Kit – Product Options & Addons for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #8 11 too high 20 
Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #17 3 too high 21 
WPC Product Options for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.1★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too high 22 VK Block Patterns 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) host-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #7 15 too high 23 
Gmap Block 10K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #18 5 too high 24 
Justify for Paragraph Block 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 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.