wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “chat widget”
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 widget”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 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
Simple Chat Button shows at wp.org #18 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 40K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 14 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775)
wp.org #1 2 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #2 3 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #3 4 
Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) not PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 
Click to Chat – HoliThemes 600K+ · 4.8★ (131)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Tidio – Live Chat & AI Chatbots 70K+ · 4.8★ (395) not PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↓1 7 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #8 ↑3 1 too low 8 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #7 1 too high 9 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220)
wp.org #12 ↑1 3 too low 10 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too low 11 
Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142)
wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 
WP Social Ninja – Embed Social Feeds, User Reviews & Chat Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (71)
wp.org #10 2 too high 13 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #15 ↑2 2 too low 14 
WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144)
wp.org #14 ↓5 15 
Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets 100K+ · 4.9★ (1516)
wp.org #22 ↑3 7 too low 16 
Chat Widget: Floating Customer Support Button for 30+ Channels, Supporting SMS, Calls, and Chat – Bit Assist 9K+ · 4.9★ (111)
wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too high 17 
Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (116)
wp.org #16 ↑2 1 too high 18 
Tawk.To Live Chat 100K+ · 4.6★ (142)
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19 
Joinchat – Enhanced “click to chat” 700K+ · 4.7★ (189)
wp.org #21 ↓7 2 too low 20 
LiveChat – Live Chat Plugin for WP Websites 10K+ · 4.6★ (98)
wp.org #23 ↓1 3 too low 21 
PushEngage – Web Push Notifications, WooCommerce Automation & Chat Widget 8K+ · 4.3★ (37)
wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too high 22 Simple Chat Button 40K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↑1 4 too high 23 
Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24 
ChatHelp – Click to Chat Button, Chat to Order for WooCommerce & Floating Chat Form 2K+ · 4.4★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 4 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.