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

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 “clothing”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 6 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

SizeSync – Size Chart & Size Guide for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #3 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 400+ 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

PPOM – Product Addons & Custom Fields for WooCommerce places #11 on merit, 4.5★ from 283 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Mercado Pago payments for WooCommerce 100K+ · 3.9★ (693) wp.org #1 2 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce – Color, Image & Size Swatches 200K+ · 4.6★ (51) wp.org #2 3 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 300K+ · 4.8★ (926) wp.org #6 ↑4 3 too low 4 M Mesmerize Companion 50K+ · 4.4★ (51) wp.org #8 ↑1 4 too low 5 Zakeke Interactive Product Designer for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (131) wp.org #12 ↓1 7 too low 6 OnSale Page for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.5★ (26) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Additional Variation Images Gallery for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.6★ (162) wp.org #11 ↓3 4 too low 8 Show only lowest prices in variable products for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.8★ (28) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 MKL Product Configurator for WooCommerce – 2D & 3D Live Preview 2K+ · 4.8★ (42) wp.org #10 ↑2 1 too low 10 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too low 11 PPOM – Product Addons & Custom Fields for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.5★ (283) wp.org #21 10 too low 12 Swatchly – Product Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.5★ (29) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 WPC Product Size Chart for WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 9 too high 14 Gelato Integration for WooCommerce 5K+ · 3.3★ (12) wp.org #9 ↓3 5 too high 15 File Uploads Addon for WooCommerce 4K+ · 3.7★ (27) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 AI Product Gallery Slider, Additional Variation Images, Product Video, Product Image Zoom and Lightbox for WooCommerce – WPBean 1K+ · 4.3★ (27) wp.org #19 3 too low 17 Product Size Charts Plugin for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.3★ (39) wp.org #23 6 too low 18 TaxJar – Sales Tax Automation for WooCommerce 5K+ · 2.6★ (28) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 WCBoost – Variation Swatches 40K+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too high 20 SizeSync – Size Chart & Size Guide for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 17 too high 21 M Materialis Companion 6K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Product Category Showcase for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too high 23 SUBRE – Product Subscription for WooCommerce – Recurring Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 Category Description for WooCommerce 700+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 7 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.