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

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 “buzzfeed”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 16. 1 plugin is 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

Listicles by LezWatch.TV shows at wp.org #4 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Professional Social Sharing Buttons, Icons & Related Posts – Shareaholic places #4 on merit, 4.4★ from 1053 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144) wp.org #1 2

Quiz Maker by AYS 20K+ · 4.9★ (601) wp.org #2 3

Quiz Cat – WordPress Quiz Plugin 4K+ · 4.7★ (35) wp.org #3 4

Professional Social Sharing Buttons, Icons & Related Posts – Shareaholic 10K+ · 4.4★ (1053) stale but ranked wp.org #8 4 too low 5

ARI Stream Quiz – WordPress Quizzes Builder 1K+ · 4.9★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #6 1 too low 6

Contact Form 7 Connector 5K+ · 4.3★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #5 1 too high 7

PressPrimer Quiz – AI Quiz Maker, Exam Builder & LMS Assessment Plugin 200+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #7 1 too high 9

Gravity Forms Personality Quiz Add-On 500+ · 4.8★ (4) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 3 too low 10

Listicles by LezWatch.TV 200+ · 4.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #4 6 too high 11 S S9S Personality Quiz 40+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 12 W WP Quizr 10+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 3 too low 13

OnionBuzz 100+ · 4.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 1 too low 14

SimpleSocial 100+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #10 4 too high 15

WP GIF Player – Play & Pause 300+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 2 too high 16 W WP Capitalized Titles 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16

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.