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

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 “cocoon”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 2 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

ASMKC Schema – Structured Data Manager shows at wp.org #4 but places #8 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 10+ 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

Simple Membership places #1 on merit, 4.6★ from 475 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) wp.org #8 7 too low 2 Dark Mode for WP Dashboard 3K+ · 4.8★ (34) wp.org #7 5 too low 3 Cocoon Media Management 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Generate Images (AI) – Magic Post Thumbnail 5K+ · 4.3★ (25) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 PV Sort Plus for Cocoon 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 Rapls Sitemap – HTML Sitemap & Post List 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Trex Dual Preview — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 ASMKC Schema – Structured Data Manager 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 YBP Schedule Rewrite — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Prime Cache – Page Cache on Activation & One-Click Speed Optimization 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 11 Hack The SEO – MCP Server for Claude, AI Bot Tracker, llms.txt, GEO Score & Cannibalization 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Send Chat Tools 70+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 CocoonNoticeAreaScheduler 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 GLS RSS Thumbnails 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 1 too high 15 Relinka – Internal Linking & Orphan Page Finder 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 YPSupport Shift Scheduler — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 KUROFUNE LINK — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 18 Y YUJI AI SEO Suite — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 Abientot – Appointment Booking — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 20 P Paloose XML Processor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too low 21 Admin Bar Tools 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 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.