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

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 popover”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Maestro: The Inline Admin Menu Editor shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 30+ 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

Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 126 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Post and Page Builder by BoldGrid – Visual Drag and Drop Editor 50K+ · 4.7★ (140) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Easy Bootstrap Shortcode 6K+ · 4.0★ (50) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Counters Block – Animated Number Counters, Stats & Dynamic KPIs 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #3 ↑2 2 too high 6 Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback 1K+ · 4.9★ (126) wp.org #16 10 too low 7 Travelers' Map 1K+ · 5.0★ (46) wp.org #13 ↓2 6 too low 8 FAZ Cookie Manager 3K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #18 ↓3 10 too low 9 Content Egg – Affiliate Product Importer & Price Comparison 10K+ · 3.9★ (56) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Comments – GraphComment | AI-Moderated Comment System 400+ · 4.7★ (30) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 Magical Shop Builder – WooCommerce Template Builder for Elementor | Shop, Cart, Checkout & Product Page Builder 3K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #15 ↑2 4 too low 12 Sobi Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 WebDefender Security – Protection & AntiSpam 1K+ · 4.0★ (18) wp.org #22 9 too low 14 Lewe Bootstrap Visuals 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 ↓1 10 too high 15 Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #11 ↑1 4 too high 16 Singular Alerts – One Gorgeous Alert Block and Alert Shortcode 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↓1 9 too high 17 Bucky SEO Tools 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too high 18 Maestro: The Inline Admin Menu Editor 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↑1 12 too high 19 Ekiline Block Collection 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 11 too high 20 Debug Log Viewer 1K+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 Internal Post Linker – Link Internal Posts, Pages, Products without leaving the page — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 4 too high 22 Mikesoft TeamVault 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 KennelFlow Core — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 crouton 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 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.