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

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 “boats”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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 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

Bukza shows at wp.org #6 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 200+ 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

WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 594 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Booking and Rental Manager for Bike | Car | Resort | Appointment | Dress | Equipment 1K+ · 4.4★ (33) wp.org #1 2 WP Booking System – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (344) wp.org #2 3 VikRentCar Car Rental Management System 4K+ · 4.8★ (30) wp.org #3 4 Tickera – Sell Tickets & Manage Events 2K+ · 4.5★ (292) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 Appointment Booking Plugin – LatePoint | Calendar & Scheduling for WordPress 100K+ · 4.9★ (106) wp.org #10 5 too low 6 Product Catalog Simple 1K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software 20K+ · 4.9★ (594) wp.org #14 ↓1 7 too low 8 Motors – Car Dealership & Classified Listings Plugin 9K+ · 4.5★ (79) wp.org #8 9 Knit Pay – Cashfree, Instamojo, Razorpay, PayPal and more 2K+ · 4.9★ (100) wp.org #16 ↓2 7 too low 10 Document Gallery 8K+ · 4.8★ (112) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 Multipurpose Ticket Booking Manager (Bus/Train/Ferry/Boat/Shuttle) 60+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 Layouts for Elementor 1K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #12 ↓1 13 MotoPress Appointment Booking 2K+ · 4.5★ (21) wp.org #17 ↓2 4 too low 14 Bukza 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 Inventory Presser – Car Dealer Listings 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 RentMy Real-Time Rental Management Plugin 10+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 ↓2 5 too low 17 Fleet Manager 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 Yachtino boat listing 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 3 too high 19 B Boats Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too high 20 Simple Boat Rental — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓4 2 too low 21 Boat Position — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓3 2 too low 22 PCIO VIS Boat — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓3 2 too low 23 MyBooking Reservation Engine 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too high 24 GemBooking – Appointment Booking, Booking Calendar & Reservations 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓4 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.