wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cf7 save”
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 “cf7 save”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 9 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
CF7 Submissions – Securely Store Contact Form 7 Data and Attachments, Reply to the Sender and more shows at wp.org #15 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Form Vibes – Save Contact Form 7 & Elementor Form Entries to Database places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 132 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 
CF7 to Webhook 30K+ · 5.0★ (53)
wp.org #2 3 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 
Database Addon for Contact Form 7 – CFDB7 600K+ · 5.0★ (1875)
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
Conditional Fields for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.8★ (166) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 6 
CF7 Mate – Contact Form 7 Styler, Multi-Step Forms & Conditional Logic 20K+ · 3.9★ (46) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 ↑1 3 too high 7 
CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8 
Multi Step for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.7★ (77)
wp.org #9 1 too low 9 
Extensions For CF7 (Contact form 7 Database, Conditional Fields and Redirection) 5K+ · 4.9★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Form Vibes – Save Contact Form 7 & Elementor Form Entries to Database 10K+ · 4.9★ (132)
wp.org #20 ↑2 10 too low 11 
Void Contact Form 7 Widget For Elementor Page Builder 10K+ · 4.9★ (103)
wp.org #21 10 too low 12 
Country State City Dropdown CF7 5K+ · 4.9★ (30)
wp.org #14 2 too low 13 
Smart Grid-Layout Design for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.5★ (72) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
CF7 Views – Complete Entry Management for Contact Form 7 1K+ · 4.6★ (17) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #10 4 too high 15 
Images Optimize and Upload CF7 700+ · 4.8★ (14) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #11 4 too high 16 
Post My CF7 Form 2K+ · 4.8★ (48) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓2 6 too low 17 
Database for Contact Form 7 7K+ · 4.2★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
WOW Styler for CF7 – Visual Styler for Contact Form 7 Forms 3K+ · 3.9★ (14) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 
ACF Field For CF7 10K+ · 4.7★ (11) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #16 3 too high 20 
PDF Forms Filler for CF7 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #18 2 too high 21 
WPSyncSheets For Contact Form 7 – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save to Database 600+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 CF7 Submissions – Securely Store Contact Form 7 Data and Attachments, Reply to the Sender and more 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #15 7 too high 23 
Integration for MailPoet and CF7 100+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #23 24 
Save CF7 Entry 100+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot 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.