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

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 “clover”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 5 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

Clover Payments for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #4 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.7★ average from 16 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform places #5 on merit, 4.6★ from 708 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 signals wp.org

Smart Online Order for Clover 1K+ · 4.9★ (34) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Knit Pay – Cashfree, Instamojo, Razorpay, PayPal and more 2K+ · 4.9★ (100) wp.org #8 6 too low 3

RestroPress – Online Food Ordering System 1K+ · 4.4★ (102) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4

WeeConnectPay – Clover Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (10) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too high 5

GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #14 ↓1 9 too low 6

Clover Payment Gateway by Zaytech for WooCommerce 500+ · 3.4★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #2 4 too high 7

Next-Cart Store to WooCommerce Migration 100+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #7 8

SKT Templates – 100% Free Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 20K+ · 5.0★ (6) not PHP-currentheavy footprint thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9

Kosmos eSync Dashboard Connector 70+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too low 10

DineSync for Clover 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↓1 4 too high 11

QuickSync: Inventory & Order Sync — · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #17 6 too low 12

Clover Payments for WooCommerce 2K+ · 1.7★ (16) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #4 ↓1 8 too high 13

DigiFest — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #11 2 too high 14

LoyaltyDog 20+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15

Versal Payments — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too high 16

Loopz Gift Cards 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #9 ↑1 7 too high 17

Scientific and Interactive Blocks – inseri core 70+ · 0.0★ (0) heavy footprint thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18

Online Ordering Plus Custom Branded Apps For Clover Merchants 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓3 1 too low 19

SA Hosted Checkout for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #18 1 too high 20

RestaurantOps 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓3

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.