wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “boldgrid”
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 “boldgrid”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 19.
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
BoldGrid Easy SEO – Simple and Effective SEO shows at wp.org #1 but places #7 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 40K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Smart Slider 3 places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 1125 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Total Upkeep – WordPress Backup Plugin plus Restore & Migrate by BoldGrid 40K+ · 4.8★ (442) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
Post and Page Builder by BoldGrid – Visual Drag and Drop Editor 50K+ · 4.7★ (140)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 
Sprout Invoices – Client Invoicing & Estimates 1K+ · 4.4★ (191)
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
weForms – Easy Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder For WordPress 10K+ · 4.5★ (111) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Smart Slider 3 800K+ · 4.9★ (1125)
wp.org #16 10 too low 7 BoldGrid Easy SEO – Simple and Effective SEO 40K+ · 3.0★ (3) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #1 6 too high 8 
Sprout Clients – CRM and Lead Management 30+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #13 5 too low 9 
Help Scout 300+ · 4.3★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
Double Youpï Refined Admin Dashboard – Admin Theme with Dark Mode & Media Folders 70+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #18 8 too low 11 M Map Block 6K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 too high 12 T Theme Grep by BoldGrid 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #7 5 too high 13 
Gravity Forms + Sprout Invoices – Easy Invoice & Estimate Submissions 70+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Ninja Forms + Sprout Invoices – Easy Invoice & Estimate Submissions 50+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #14 15 
WP Forms + Sprout Invoices – Easy Invoice & Quote Submissions 300+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #9 6 too high 16 
SEV WebP Migrator for W3TC 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #15 1 too high 17 
Formidable Forms + Sprout Invoices – Easy Invoice & Estimate Submissions 200+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 6 too high 18 
RW Elephant Rental Inventory 70+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too low 19 C Central Connect 300+ · 2.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #17 2 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.