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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “circles”

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 “circles”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 3 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

Easy Circle Contents shows at wp.org #7 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 60+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Store Locator places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 312 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #1 2 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #2 3 Leaflet Map 30K+ · 4.9★ (58) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 PublishPress Permissions: Access Control, Content Permissions, User Access 10K+ · 4.3★ (66) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too low 6 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Addon Elements for Elementor (formerly Elementor Addon Elements) 80K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #8 ↓3 9 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #14 ↑4 5 too low 10 WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #17 ↓2 7 too low 11 Cost Calculator Builder 20K+ · 4.5★ (393) wp.org #16 ↑5 5 too low 12 Smooth Back To Top Button 40K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 Interactive Image Map Plugin – Draw Attention 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15 To Top 60K+ · 4.8★ (54) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Team Circle Image Slider With Lightbox 300+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #3 13 too high 17 Countdown, Coming Soon, Maintenance – Countdown & Clock 10K+ · 4.7★ (183) wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #24 ↓2 6 too low 19 TP Product Image Flipper for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 Block Animations, Motion & Scroll Effects – Ghost Kit 6K+ · 4.6★ (46) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 Catch Gallery 10K+ · 4.0★ (16) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 WEN Skill Charts 600+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #19 ↓3 3 too high 23 Easy Circle Contents 60+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑1 16 too high 24 Smooth Custom Cursor 400+ · 0.0★ (0) 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.