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

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 “carrier”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

ReachShip WooCommerce Multi-Carrier & Conditional Shipping shows at wp.org #3 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 300+ 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

CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 538 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #2 3

Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83) wp.org #7 ↓1 4 too low 4

Packlink PRO for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.4★ (263) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too low 5

morkva UA Shipping – Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, Rozetka, Nova Global 1K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #8 3 too low 6

CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.9★ (538) wp.org #22 ↓4 16 too low 7

SmartyParcel – DHL Express, GLS, InPost & Nova Post for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.6★ (56) wp.org #13 ↓3 6 too low 8

MultiParcels Shipping For WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.6★ (62) wp.org #19 ↓3 11 too low 9

Multi-Carrier Shippo Shipping Rates & Address Validation for WooCommerce 3K+ · 3.8★ (11) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #4 ↑1 5 too high 10

Base (formerly BaseLinker) – 300+ marketplaces, 150+ carriers & PIM & OMS & WMS in one 5K+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #5 ↑2 5 too high 11

Trakoo – Orders Tracking for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (58) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 ↓3 4 too low 12

TrackShip for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.7★ (52) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #16 ↓3 4 too low 13

WCMultiShipping — Mondial Relay, Inpost & Chronopost for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (33) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 8 too low 14

Vanquish Shipping Tracking – Order Tracking & Carrier Links for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #14 15

ShipStation for WooCommerce 40K+ · 3.3★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓3 3 too high 16

ReachShip WooCommerce Multi-Carrier & Conditional Shipping 300+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #3 13 too high 17

Packeta 8K+ · 4.0★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓3 18

YITH WooCommerce Order & Shipment Tracking 7K+ · 3.7★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too low 19

EnvíaYa: Ship with all carriers (Rating, Booking and Tracking) 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #6 13 too high 20

Track Orders for WooCommerce – Multi Carrier WooCommerce Shipping 200+ · 3.7★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #11 9 too high 21

Sendcloud for WooCommerce: Automated Shipping, Branded Tracking & Returns 7K+ · 3.0★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓4 2 too low 22

WooCommerce Shipping 70K+ · 2.0★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #10 ↓6 12 too high 23

Multi-Carrier EasyPost Shipping Methods & Address Validation for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓3 5 too high 24

bpost-shipping-platform 500+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓3

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.