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

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

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Yandex Maps for Gutenberg shows at wp.org #11 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 300+ 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

GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 716 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 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #1 2 Redis Object Cache 500K+ · 4.5★ (179) wp.org #2 3 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #3 4 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #6 7 Xagio SEO & AEO – AI SEO for Google Rankings & AI Visibility 10K+ · 4.9★ (51) wp.org #7 8 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #8 9 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 Travelers' Map 1K+ · 5.0★ (46) wp.org #10 11 Extensions for Leaflet Map 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #13 ↓2 1 too low 13 Link Whisper Free 30K+ · 4.2★ (151) wp.org #20 7 too low 14 Tuskcode Map Pro for Bing Maps 600+ · 4.8★ (19) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too high 15 Agile Store Locator 10K+ · 4.9★ (59) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 MapSVG – Vector maps, Image maps, Google Maps 1K+ · 4.5★ (31) wp.org #16 17 Geo Mashup 1K+ · 4.7★ (33) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 LocateAndFilter 200+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Out of the Block: OpenStreetMap 800+ · 4.4★ (8) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 Web Directory plugin Free – AI powered 300+ · 4.1★ (20) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 VenoMaps – OpenStreetMap & Privacy-Friendly Geo Maps 400+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #17 4 too high 22 Yandex Maps for Gutenberg 300+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #11 ↑1 11 too high 23 Advanced OSM for Toolset Maps 30+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 24 Events Calendar for GeoDirectory 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 5 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.