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← Rankings

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

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 “branches”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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

SnappBox shows at wp.org #5 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 17 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

HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 221 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 morkva UA Shipping – Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, Rozetka, Nova Global 1K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #1 2 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 Bit Form – Contact Form, Payment Forms, Multi Step Forms, Calculator & Custom Form Builder 10K+ · 5.0★ (259) wp.org #11 ↓2 6 too low 6 Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map 10K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 Agile Store Locator 10K+ · 4.9★ (59) wp.org #7 8 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #8 ↓2 9 HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (221) wp.org #21 ↓1 12 too low 10 User Admin Simplifier 10K+ · 5.0★ (31) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too low 11 Salon Booking System – Appointment Booking for Salons, Barbershops & Spas 2K+ · 4.4★ (187) wp.org #19 ↓3 8 too low 12 TelSender – Сontact form 7, Events, Wpforms, ninja forms and woocommerce to telegram bot 5K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too low 13 Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation 2K+ · 4.8★ (150) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Kikote – Location Picker at Checkout & Google Address AutoFill Plugin for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (65) wp.org #22 ↓1 8 too low 15 WPBot – AI ChatBot for Live Support, Lead Generation, WordPress Automation, AI Services 5K+ · 4.7★ (124) wp.org #24 ↓1 9 too low 16 Klaviyo 100K+ · 2.8★ (24) wp.org #9 ↓1 7 too high 17 Library Management System 200+ · 4.4★ (14) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Gitium 400+ · 4.1★ (10) wp.org #18 19 Genealogical Tree – Family Tree & Ancestry for WordPress 600+ · 4.1★ (16) wp.org #20 ↑2 1 too low 20 Advanced Testimonial Carousel For Elementor 2K+ · 3.6★ (12) wp.org #15 ↓2 5 too high 21 WP Branches For Post 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓2 15 too high 22 SnappBox 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 17 too high 23 PeproDev Branches Map (Mapify) 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↑5 11 too high 24 Correo Argentino for WooCommerce 1K+ · 2.0★ (3) wp.org #17 ↓3 7 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.