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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cache clearing”

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 “cache clearing”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Ergonet Cache shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 3K+ 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

Social Preview and Open Graph Tags places #11 on merit, 4.6★ from 122 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 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #1 2 WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #2 3 Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517) wp.org #3 4 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Cache Enabler 100K+ · 4.3★ (139) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 C Clear Cache for Me 40K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Powered Cache – Caching and Optimization for WordPress – Easily Improve PageSpeed & Web Vitals Score 3K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Hyper Cache 7K+ · 4.5★ (82) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 Comet Cache 20K+ · 4.4★ (108) wp.org #18 9 too low 10 WebberZone Top 10 — Popular Posts 10K+ · 4.6★ (102) wp.org #19 9 too low 11 Social Preview and Open Graph Tags 50K+ · 4.6★ (122) wp.org #21 10 too low 12 SpeedyCache – Cache, Optimization, Performance 500K+ · 4.4★ (30) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 Proxy Cache Purge 50K+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #16 3 too low 14 The Cache Purger 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Aruba HiSpeed Cache 100K+ · 3.0★ (10) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 Customizer Backup & Reset 7K+ · 4.2★ (15) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 Pods Alternative Cache 5K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #17 18 C3 Cloudfront Cache Controller 3K+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #23 5 too low 19 Clear Autoptimize Cache Automatically 4K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #13 6 too high 20 Clear Cache Everywhere 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 11 too high 21 Disable CSS JS Cache 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 A Automatic Cache Flusher for W3 Total Cache 4K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 11 too high 23 ABCode Cache Warmer 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Ergonet Cache 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 12 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.