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

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 “bwp”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Defer CSS Addon for BWP Minify shows at wp.org #10 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 40+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Better WordPress Minify places #4 on merit, 4.2★ from 137 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428) wp.org #2 1 too low 2

BackUpWordPress 80K+ · 4.7★ (1373) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk stale but ranked wp.org #6 4 too low 3

wp-Monalisa 600+ · 4.8★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 ↑1 4 B Better WordPress Minify 7K+ · 4.2★ (137) closure risk stale but ranked wp.org #9 5 too low 5

Exchange Rates 800+ · 4.2★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too high 6

SC IndexFlow 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #1 5 too high 7

Diverse Solutions IDX Real Estate Listings & MLS Search 1K+ · 3.2★ (66) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint low rating, top placement wp.org #5 2 too high 8

Easy Stripe Payments & Donations 10+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #7 1 too high 9 B Better WordPress Recent Comments 500+ · 4.5★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 7 too low 10 B Better WordPress External Links 400+ · 5.0★ (4) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 2 too low 11

Advanced Invisible Anti-Spam 200+ · 4.4★ (7) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 7 too low 12

CS Easy Digital Downloads Bitcoin / AltCoin Payment Gateway — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 4 too high 13 L Link Maggu Monetization Tool — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 14 C Contact Form 7 BWP reCAPTCHA Extension 400+ · 4.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 3 too low 15

esbleibtdabei.at — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 1 too high 16 A AAC Scoring 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 5 too high 17

Defer CSS Addon for BWP Minify 40+ · 3.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 7 too high 18 B Better WordPress Syntax Highlighter 60+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 2 too low 19 B Better WordPress Polldaddy Polls 20+ · 3.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 4 too high 20

Kripto Para Dönüştürücü ve Döviz Hesaplama 40+ · 3.5★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 1 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.