wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “c”
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 “c”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Burger Companion shows at wp.org #14 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10K+ 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
Discount Rules for WooCommerce places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 1395 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
One User Avatar | User Profile Picture 100K+ · 4.7★ (41)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 O One Page Express Companion 10K+ · 4.7★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 M Mesmerize Companion 50K+ · 4.4★ (51)
wp.org #4 5 
Disabled Source, Disabled Right Click and Content Protection 10K+ · 4.9★ (103)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking 20K+ · 4.3★ (62)
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 
WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection 10K+ · 4.6★ (213)
wp.org #10 3 too low 8 
WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click 100K+ · 4.8★ (1139)
wp.org #18 10 too low 9 
Timetable and Event Schedule by MotoPress 30K+ · 4.3★ (69)
wp.org #9 10 
Code Block Pro – Beautiful Syntax Highlighting 10K+ · 4.8★ (50)
wp.org #11 1 too low 11 W WP-dTree 2K+ · 4.8★ (25)
wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Discount Rules for WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.9★ (1395)
wp.org #24 12 too low 13 
Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616)
wp.org #23 10 too low 14 
LightPress Lightbox 40K+ · 4.6★ (72)
wp.org #15 1 too low 15 
Meta for WooCommerce 400K+ · 2.1★ (481)
wp.org #7 8 too high 16 
Mailgun for WordPress 80K+ · 3.8★ (49)
wp.org #12 4 too high 17 P Private groups 1K+ · 4.9★ (49)
wp.org #17 18 
WP Content Copy Protection with Color Design 5K+ · 4.5★ (25)
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 
12 Step Meeting List 900+ · 5.0★ (28)
wp.org #20 1 too low 20 
Block Editor Colors 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #16 4 too high 21 
CryptX 10K+ · 4.5★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #21 22 
Better Plugin Compatibility Control 4K+ · 4.3★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #19 3 too high 23 
Disable Right Click RB – Content Copy Protection, Prevent Copy & No Right Click 600+ · 4.2★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Burger Companion 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #14 10 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.