wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “chat order”
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 “chat order”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
ChatHelp – Click to Chat Button, Chat to Order for WooCommerce & Floating Chat Form shows at wp.org #7 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 9 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 #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 538 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775)
wp.org #1 2 
Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696)
wp.org #2 3 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #3 4 
OneClick Chat to Order 30K+ · 4.8★ (84)
wp.org #4 5 
Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142)
wp.org #5 ↑1 6 
Tidio – Live Chat & AI Chatbots 70K+ · 4.8★ (395)
wp.org #6 ↓1 7 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221)
wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too low 8 
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 100K+ · 4.6★ (820)
wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too low 9 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11 CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.9★ (538)
wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too low 12 
Simple Ajax Chat – Add a Fast, Secure Chat Box 2K+ · 4.9★ (215)
wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too low 13 
Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (116)
wp.org #13 14 
Wise Chat 4K+ · 4.4★ (105)
wp.org #14 ↑1 15 
Simple Chat Button 40K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 6 too high 16 
Art WooCommerce Order One Click 4K+ · 5.0★ (36)
wp.org #16 ↑1 17 ChatHelp – Click to Chat Button, Chat to Order for WooCommerce & Floating Chat Form 2K+ · 4.4★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #7 10 too high 18 
Order On Mobile for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (66)
wp.org #20 2 too low 19 
Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #21 2 too low 20 
Chatra Live Chat + ChatBot + Cart Saver 2K+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #19 1 too high 21 
MyLiveChat – Free Live Chat & AI Chatbot 800+ · 4.4★ (27)
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Contact Form to Chat Apps | Click to Chat to Order – FormyChat 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓4 4 too high 23 
Fast Chat Button 1K+ · 4.9★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 
Better Chat Support for Messenger 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #23 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.