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

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 “bootstrap”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

Ultimate Bootstrap Elements for Elementor shows at wp.org #6 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Sticky Sidebar – Floating Sidebar On Scroll for Any Theme places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 153 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Bootstrap Blocks 10K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #1 2 Easy Bootstrap Shortcode 6K+ · 4.0★ (50) wp.org #2 3 Bootstrap Shortcodes 4K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #3 4 WS Form LITE – Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder 10K+ · 5.0★ (322) wp.org #12 ↓5 8 too low 5 Post and Page Builder by BoldGrid – Visual Drag and Drop Editor 50K+ · 4.7★ (140) wp.org #10 ↑1 5 too low 6 Gravity Booster – Styles & Layouts for Gravity Forms 30K+ · 4.6★ (199) wp.org #11 ↑1 5 too low 7 Contact Form Clean and Simple 7K+ · 4.7★ (195) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Block Editor Bootstrap Blocks 900+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 WP Sticky Sidebar – Floating Sidebar On Scroll for Any Theme 10K+ · 4.9★ (153) wp.org #20 ↑2 11 too low 10 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.9★ (79) wp.org #18 8 too low 11 Utimate Kit ( Styler ) for WPForms 20K+ · 4.8★ (114) wp.org #22 ↓2 11 too low 12 Easy Appointments 10K+ · 4.3★ (131) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 SVG Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 BlockStrap Page Builder – Bootstrap Blocks 2K+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #5 9 too high 15 Alerts for Beaver Builder 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 too high 16 Fusion Page Builder 3K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 Cards for Beaver Builder 1K+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #8 ↑1 9 too high 18 bSlider – Build Sliders That Bring Your Content to Life 6K+ · 4.0★ (11) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 Icon Element – Icon Pack for Elementor Page Builder (6718 icons) 40K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Advanced Classic Editor 2K+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 NEO Bootstrap Carousel 30+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #9 ↑1 12 too high 22 Ultimate Bootstrap Elements for Elementor 6K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 16 too high 23 Bootstrap Carousel Slider – Responsive Image Slider 30+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 Mox Icons – Icon Pack for Elementor 600+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 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.