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

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 “buttons”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 696 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 AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114) wp.org #1 2 Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 MaxButtons – Create buttons 70K+ · 4.9★ (1093) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone 20K+ · 4.8★ (194) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #5 ↑5 1 too high 7 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333) wp.org #10 ↓6 3 too low 8 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 10K+ · 4.9★ (1911) wp.org #12 ↑2 3 too low 10 WP ULike – Like Buttons, Voting & Engagement Analytics 60K+ · 4.8★ (283) wp.org #17 ↓9 7 too low 11 Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 Call Now Button – The Free Click to Call Button for WordPress 200K+ · 4.8★ (102) wp.org #19 ↑3 7 too low 13 WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #24 ↓13 11 too low 14 Smooth Page Scroll Up/Down Buttons 2K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #13 ↑2 1 too high 15 WPC Variations Radio Buttons for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.4★ (21) wp.org #9 ↑3 6 too high 16 ShareThis Share Buttons 10K+ · 3.5★ (26) wp.org #8 ↑1 8 too high 17 Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #6 ↑1 11 too high 18 SMNTCS Quantity Increment Buttons for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.5★ (20) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 Button Block – Stylish buttons that get more clicks 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #11 ↑2 8 too high 20 Mobile Call Now & Map Buttons 4K+ · 4.9★ (18) wp.org #23 ↑1 3 too low 21 PayPal Payment Buttons 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 22 ShareThis Reaction Buttons 600+ · 3.8★ (5) wp.org #14 ↑2 8 too high 23 ShareThis Follow Buttons 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↑2 5 too high 24 Mobile Call Buttons 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↑1 2 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.