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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “catalog sorting”

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 “catalog sorting”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

Unstoppable Product Sorting for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #4 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 60+ 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

Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia places #10 on merit, 4.6★ from 793 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 wp.org
1 Extra Product Sorting Options for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.6★ (31) wp.org #1 2 Ultimate Product Catalog 4K+ · 4.5★ (233) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ · 4.3★ (4342) wp.org #7 ↓1 4 too low 4 More Sorting Options for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449) wp.org #13 8 too low 6 Reviews and Rating – Google Reviews 20K+ · 4.9★ (184) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Rearrange Products for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (58) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too high 8 Product Table & List Builder for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.9★ (254) wp.org #17 9 too low 9 TI WooCommerce Wishlist 100K+ · 4.7★ (503) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia 90K+ · 4.6★ (793) wp.org #22 ↑2 12 too low 11 Advanced AJAX Product Filters 50K+ · 4.7★ (387) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Filter Gallery 3K+ · 4.6★ (22) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 OnSale Page for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.5★ (26) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 WowStore – Store Builder & Product Blocks for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.6★ (113) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 NS Remove Related Products for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.6★ (64) wp.org #18 3 too low 16 Catalog PDF Export for WooCommerce 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 11 too high 17 Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter 70K+ · 3.5★ (98) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Smart Search & Product Filter for WooCommerce – Searchanise 900+ · 4.4★ (43) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 S Saphali Woocommerce Lite 10K+ · 4.2★ (25) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 Unstoppable Product Sorting for WooCommerce 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 18 too high 23 Smart Product Sort 30+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #12 11 too high 24 B2B Product Catalog – No E-Commerce, Global RFQ & Bulk Quote 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 5 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.