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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “bonus system”

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 “bonus system”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 2 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.

A

Ranked above its merit

AffiliateWP – Sign Up Bonus shows at wp.org #3 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce – BOGO, Store Credit & WooCommerce Coupons places #10 on merit, 4.4★ from 184 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Bonus for Woo 100+ · 4.8★ (22) wp.org #1 2 Wallet for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (188) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 PW WooCommerce Gift Cards 20K+ · 4.7★ (195) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin for Create and Sell Online Courses 70K+ · 4.3★ (597) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 Loyalty Points Rewards and Referral for WooCommerce – WPLoyalty 3K+ · 5.0★ (310) wp.org #6 7 Football Pool 900+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Spiffy Calendar 2K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 Float menu – awesome floating side menu 30K+ · 4.4★ (41) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce – BOGO, Store Credit & WooCommerce Coupons 20K+ · 4.4★ (184) wp.org #17 7 too low 11 Coupon Affiliates – Affiliate Plugin for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (77) wp.org #11 12 Create 6K+ · 4.3★ (25) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Affiliates Manager 8K+ · 4.1★ (61) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 PopupAlly 2K+ · 4.1★ (76) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 WinRocket Raffle and Giveaway Campaigns for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Tabbed Category Product Listing for Woocommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 ProfilePress – Paid Membership, Online Courses (LMS), Ecommerce, User Registration & Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content 100K+ · 3.1★ (938) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 A AffiliateWP – Sign Up Bonus 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 ↓1 15 too high 19 Free Backlinks & Guest Post Exchange – Consolety 40+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #19 20 SweepWidget – Giveaway, Contest, Sweepstakes, Competition & Photo Contest Plugin 100+ · 4.3★ (14) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 CubeWP Framework 3K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 RewardsWP – Loyalty Points & Referral Program for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 6 too high 23 Madquick WP Legal Pages – One Click, 100% Free 700+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 24 Divi Testimonial Plus 200+ · 2.5★ (4) wp.org #21 ↓1 3 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.