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

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 “coauthors”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 7 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

Chief Editor shows at wp.org #15 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2 ( (Simply) Guest Author Name 2K+ · 4.7★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Simple Yearly Archive 6K+ · 4.7★ (30) wp.org #8 ↓1 5 too low 4

Co-Authors Plus 20K+ · 3.5★ (77) wp.org #7 3 too low 5

Frontman – AI Website Editor 80+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #5 6

MicroPayments – Fans Paysite: Paid Creator Subscriptions, Digital Assets, Wallet 10+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #4 2 too high 7 W WPLMS CoAuthors Plus 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #2 5 too high 8 B Byline 200+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 9 too low 9

Post CoAuthors — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 3 too high 10

Coauthor – AI Writing Assistant and Artist 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11

Extend Co-Authors Plus for FacetWP 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too low 12 G Genesis Co-Authors Plus 90+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓1 8 too low 13

Co-Authors Widget 40+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓2 1 too low 14 S Skyword Publishing API 500+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15

NPR Content Distribution Service 20+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #13 2 too high 16 S Skyword XMLRPC publishing 40+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too high 17 S SP Authors 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 4 too low 18 W WT Co-authors 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓2 4 too low 19 E Enhanced Publication 10+ · 4.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓1 20 W WPLMS DWQA 20+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too high 21

Chief Editor 10+ · 4.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too high 22

Post Co-Authors 10+ · 1.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 4 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.