wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “call”
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 “call”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 of the top 20. 6 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
Mobile Call Buttons shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 600+ 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
WP Armour – Honeypot Anti Spam places #8 on merit, 5.0★ from 1471 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.
Call Now Button – The Free Click to Call Button for WordPress 200K+ · 4.8★ (102)
wp.org #1 2 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 
WP Call Button – Easy Click to Call Button for WordPress 40K+ · 4.7★ (69)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 100K+ · 4.6★ (820)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
All-in-one Sticky Floating Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, and 50+ Social Icon Tabs – My Sticky Elements 40K+ · 4.9★ (542)
wp.org #11 6 too low 6 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too low 7 
Call for Price for WooCommerce 8K+ · 3.9★ (27) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8 WP Armour – Honeypot Anti Spam 400K+ · 5.0★ (1471)
wp.org #24 ↓2 16 too low 9 
Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #21 12 too low 10 
Mobile Call Now & Map Buttons 4K+ · 4.9★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #5 5 too high 11 
WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (195)
wp.org #22 11 too low 12 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #15 3 too low 13 
Chat Widget: Floating Customer Support Button for 30+ Channels, Supporting SMS, Calls, and Chat – Bit Assist 9K+ · 4.9★ (111)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343)
wp.org #19 5 too low 15 
Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 8 too low 16 
Floating Chat Buttons – Click to Call or Chat, Email 1K+ · 4.9★ (54)
wp.org #20 4 too low 17 
Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #10 7 too high 18 
CallRail Phone Call Tracking 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #9 9 too high 19 
Bolt CTA Button – Floating Call Button for WordPress 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑1 6 too high 20 
WP CTA – Call Now Button, Sticky Button & Call to Action Builder 2K+ · 4.4★ (7) not PHP-currentheavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #16 4 too high 21 
CallTrackingMetrics 3K+ · 4.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #12 9 too high 22 Mobile Call Buttons 600+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #7 15 too high 23 
Call To Action Customizable Block 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #8 15 too high 24 
Lead Generation Contact Widget & AI Chatbot: Chat Button, Phone Call, Telegram, Email – SiteLeads 10K+ · 5.0★ (2) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 7 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.