Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “closed”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 4 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

Website Open/Closed Toggle shows at wp.org #3 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 21 places. Its 500+ 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.

R

Buried gem

Really Simple CSV Importer places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 107 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #1 2 WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #7 ↓1 5 too low 3 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #6 ↑2 3 too low 4 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #4 5 We’re Open! 5K+ · 5.0★ (45) wp.org #5 ↑6 6 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #9 ↓2 3 too low 7 Store Vacation Lite for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (189) wp.org #8 ↓3 1 too low 8 R Really Simple CSV Importer 40K+ · 4.9★ (107) wp.org #14 ↑1 6 too low 9 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Comments – wpDiscuz 60K+ · 4.7★ (581) wp.org #12 ↓3 2 too low 11 Classic Editor + 30K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #10 ↑2 1 too high 12 WP Mobile Menu – The Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menu 70K+ · 4.7★ (256) wp.org #18 ↓2 6 too low 13 Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172) wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too low 14 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection 10K+ · 4.6★ (213) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 VS Website Closed 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 14 too high 17 Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP 100K+ · 4.5★ (252) wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too high 18 Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) wp.org #17 ↑2 1 too high 19 Easy Table of Contents 600K+ · 4.4★ (221) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Check & Log Email – Easy Email Testing & Mail logging 90K+ · 4.8★ (292) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 GN Publisher: Google News Compatible RSS Feeds 20K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Business Hours Indicator 7K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #24 ↓2 2 too low 23 Easy Notification Bar 9K+ · 4.6★ (16) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too high 24 Website Open/Closed Toggle 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 21 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.