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

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 “braintree”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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

Blacklist Manager – WooCommerce Anti-Fraud, Blacklist & Checkout Verification shows at wp.org #10 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.6★ average from 14 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

FunnelKit – Funnel Builder Plugin for WooCommerce Checkout places #9 on merit, 5.0★ from 1028 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Payment Plugins Braintree For WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.8★ (149) wp.org #1 2

Cookie Compliance for WordPress – Cookie Consent, GDPR & CCPA 800K+ · 4.8★ (3026) wp.org #5 ↑1 3 too low 3

Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 ↑1 4

Appointment Booking Plugin – LatePoint | Calendar & Scheduling for WordPress 100K+ · 4.9★ (106) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5

Charitable – Donation & Fundraising Platform (Donation Forms, Recurring Donations & Fundraising Campaigns) 10K+ · 4.9★ (219) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↑2 2 too low 6

Event Tickets and Registration 90K+ · 3.5★ (236) heavy footprint wp.org #6 ↓1 7

Events Made Easy 1K+ · 4.6★ (111) wp.org #9 ↑2 2 too low 8

PayPal Enterprise Payments (formerly Braintree) for WooCommerce 10K+ · 2.6★ (50) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement wp.org #2 6 too high 9

FunnelKit – Funnel Builder Plugin for WooCommerce Checkout 30K+ · 5.0★ (1028) wp.org #22 13 too low 10

Payment Gateway Braintree WooCommerce 200+ · 4.3★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #4 ↓1 6 too high 11

Tickera – Sell Tickets & Manage Events 2K+ · 4.5★ (292) wp.org #17 6 too low 12

Fluid Checkout for WooCommerce – Lite 20K+ · 4.9★ (159) wp.org #20 ↑2 8 too low 13

LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin for Create and Sell Online Courses 70K+ · 4.3★ (597) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too low 14

Payment forms, Buy now buttons, and Invoicing System | GetPaid 5K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #13 ↑2 1 too high 15

Sliced Invoices – WordPress Invoice Plugin 4K+ · 4.6★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #12 ↑2 3 too high 16

Pinpoint Booking System – Legacy version 2K+ · 3.6★ (185) wp.org #16 17

FAZ Cookie Manager 3K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #18 ↑2 1 too low 18

zahls.ch Credit Cards, PostFinance and TWINT for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.9★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↑2 7 too high 19

Blacklist Manager – WooCommerce Anti-Fraud, Blacklist & Checkout Verification 2K+ · 3.6★ (14) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #10 9 too high 20

Milo Subscriptions – Subscriptions for WooCommerce and Recurring Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↑2 1 too low 21

Membership Plugin – Kadence Memberships 8K+ · 3.1★ (100) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 ↑2 2 too high 22

MotoPress Hotel Booking 10K+ · 3.7★ (65) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #23 ↓4 1 too low 23

Parcel2Go Shipping 200+ · 2.6★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #14 ↑4 9 too high 24

Bolt Checkout for WooCommerce 100+ · 3.0★ (10) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #24

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.