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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “category template”

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 “category template”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 4 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

SKT Templates – 100% Free Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg shows at wp.org #12 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 1667 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #1 2 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #2 3 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #3 4 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #4 5 Starter Templates: AI-Powered Website Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 1M+ · 4.9★ (4755) wp.org #5 6 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8 Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #7 ↑2 1 too high 9 Category Posts Block 40K+ · 4.5★ (79) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #15 ↑2 5 too low 11 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too low 12 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #13 ↑3 1 too low 13 Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 Mailonix – Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (105) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) wp.org #17 ↓2 2 too low 16 Custom Field Template 30K+ · 4.0★ (24) wp.org #10 ↓2 6 too high 17 MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Categories Images 50K+ · 4.5★ (86) wp.org #24 6 too low 19 WP Media Category Management 6K+ · 4.7★ (35) wp.org #18 1 too high 20 SKT Templates – 100% Free Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 20K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Real Category Management: Content Management in Category Folders 2K+ · 4.1★ (17) wp.org #22 ↓3 1 too low 22 Product Category Showcase for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #21 ↑3 1 too high 23 RDV Category Image 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↑2 3 too high 24 WPZOOM Addons for Elementor – Starter Templates & Widgets 20K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓3 1 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.