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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cmd s”

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 “cmd s”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Fiber Admin shows at wp.org #5 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

W4 Post List places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 94 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453) wp.org #1 2 HTML Editor Syntax Highlighter 60K+ · 4.4★ (110) wp.org #2 3 Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking 20K+ · 4.3★ (62) wp.org #3 4 WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click 100K+ · 4.8★ (1138) wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too low 5 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – CTX Feed – Support 220+ Shopping, AI & Social Channels 90K+ · 4.6★ (838) wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too low 6 Bricks Navigator 8K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #6 7 Code Engine – PHP Snippets, AI Functions & Automation for WordPress 800+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Document Viewer – let visitors view files right in the browser 2K+ · 4.7★ (52) wp.org #13 ↓1 5 too low 9 OpenStation – Admin Dashboard Notes, Custom Dashboard, AI Assistant & PWA 1K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too low 10 W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94) wp.org #18 ↓3 8 too low 11 MeetingHub – Appointment Booking & Meeting Scheduling for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Jitsi 400+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation 2K+ · 4.8★ (150) wp.org #17 5 too low 13 Music Store – WordPress eCommerce 200+ · 4.1★ (52) wp.org #21 ↓4 8 too low 14 MailerPress – Email Marketing, Newsletter, Email Automation & WooCommerce Emails 1K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #16 2 too low 15 Fiber Admin 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 ↑2 10 too high 16 eDarpan: Website Protection 200+ · 3.8★ (5) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too high 17 Ultimate Watermark – Image Watermark, Image Protection & Bulk Watermarking 1K+ · 3.3★ (11) wp.org #22 ↓3 5 too low 18 Inline Context – Footnotes, Tooltips & Glossary Notes 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too high 19 Commandify – Command Palette, Content Search, Themes Control, Product Edits, Context Actions, Dynamic content, Page builders navigation and actions 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too low 20 Kripanov Anticopia 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 Image Protection 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↓1 10 too high 22 No copy allowed – Nork Digital 100+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #19 ↓3 3 too high 23 Aiodify Content Protection — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓3 24 ContentShield Lite 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓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.