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← Rankings

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

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 “box”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 7 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

Alert Box Block – Grab Attention with Eye-Catching Notices shows at wp.org #14 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 400+ 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

Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 4132 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Meta Box – A Framework for Dynamic Websites 500K+ · 4.8★ (165) wp.org #1 2 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #3 ↑2 1 too low 3 Simple Author Box 90K+ · 4.3★ (115) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) wp.org #4 ↑3 5 Popup Box – Create Countdown, Coupon, Video, Contact Form Popups 50K+ · 4.6★ (82) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too low 7 Popup Box – Easily Create WordPress Popups 6K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #7 ↓1 8 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #23 ↓2 15 too low 9 Easy Social Like Box – Popup – Sidebar Widget 6K+ · 4.4★ (18) wp.org #9 ↓1 10 Author Box WP Lens 900+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #8 ↑3 2 too high 11 Meta Field Block – Display Custom Fields for ACF, Meta Box and More 10K+ · 5.0★ (57) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 Flip Box Block 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 ↓3 7 too high 13 Coupzy Coupon Box for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.6★ (37) wp.org #13 ↑1 14 Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120) wp.org #22 ↓7 8 too low 15 Gallery Box 1K+ · 4.1★ (18) wp.org #10 ↓1 5 too high 16 Social Like Box and Page by WpDevArt 5K+ · 4.2★ (88) wp.org #20 ↓2 4 too low 17 Sitelinks Search Box 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too high 18 Counter Box – Add Countdowns, Timers & Dynamic Counters to WordPress 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too low 19 Modal Popup Box — Popup Maker & Popup Builder 2K+ · 3.5★ (10) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 BOX NOW Delivery 6K+ · 2.4★ (16) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Cool Author Box – For Widget and Post Content 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 BOX NOW Delivery Croatia + Slovenia 900+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↑5 4 too high 23 Service Box Slider 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 7 too high 24 Alert Box Block – Grab Attention with Eye-Catching Notices 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↑1 10 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.