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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “chat software”

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 software”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Melu Live Chat shows at wp.org #13 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 80+ 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

Translate WordPress with GTranslate places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 4962 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 LiveChat – Live Chat Plugin for WP Websites 10K+ · 4.6★ (98) wp.org #1 2 Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #2 3 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 100K+ · 4.6★ (820) wp.org #5 6 HubSpot All-In-One Marketing – Forms, Popups, Live Chat 200K+ · 4.3★ (207) wp.org #10 ↓2 4 too low 7 All-in-one Sticky Floating Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, and 50+ Social Icon Tabs – My Sticky Elements 40K+ · 4.9★ (542) wp.org #16 9 too low 8 LiveAgent – Omnichannel Help Desk & Live Chat Software 400+ · 4.2★ (32) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #22 13 too low 10 Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 Crisp – Live Chat and AI Chatbot 20K+ · 4.6★ (73) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 MyLiveChat – Free Live Chat & AI Chatbot 800+ · 4.4★ (27) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too high 13 GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 HelpCrunch – Live Chat, Chatbot & Knowledge Base for Customer Service 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 ↑1 6 too high 15 Chatroll Live Chat 200+ · 4.0★ (5) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 REVE Chat – AI Chatbot, Live Chat, Helpdesk, Campaigns & More 100+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #19 ↑2 3 too low 17 Smartarget – Chat Buttons & Engagement Apps 900+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #24 7 too low 18 Zoho SalesIQ – Live chat, chatbots, and visitor tracking 10K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Chaport — Live Chat & Chatbots 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↑1 7 too high 20 Provide Support Live Chat 200+ · 4.3★ (8) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 Customer Support Software, Live Chat, & Marketing Automation 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↓2 7 too high 22 Melu Live Chat 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑1 9 too high 23 Kommunicate – AI Agents and Live Chat for Customer Support 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 Olark Live Chat 1K+ · 2.5★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓1 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.