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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “code redeem”

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 “code redeem”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 6 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

Power Coupons for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #4 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 30K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Easy Digital Downloads – eCommerce Payments and Subscriptions made easy places #7 on merit, 4.7★ from 591 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 PW WooCommerce Gift Cards 20K+ · 4.7★ (195) wp.org #1 2 Loyalty Points Rewards and Referral for WooCommerce – WPLoyalty 3K+ · 5.0★ (310) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Smart Coupons For WooCommerce Coupons 30K+ · 4.7★ (133) wp.org #3 ↑3 4 Gift Up Gift Cards for WordPress and WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (235) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce – BOGO, Store Credit & WooCommerce Coupons 20K+ · 4.4★ (184) wp.org #8 ↑9 3 too low 6 Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create Loyalty Programs, Reward Customer Purchases, Referral Points, User Badges, and Gamification 6K+ · 4.5★ (180) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 Easy Digital Downloads – eCommerce Payments and Subscriptions made easy 40K+ · 4.7★ (591) wp.org #17 ↑1 10 too low 8 Back In Stock Notifier for WooCommerce | WooCommerce Waitlist Pro 20K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #9 ↑2 1 too low 9 Gift Cards (Gift Vouchers and Packages) (WooCommerce Supported) 1K+ · 4.7★ (115) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too low 10 MyRewards 2K+ · 4.7★ (58) wp.org #18 ↑2 8 too low 11 Simple Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create a Loyalty Program 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 too high 12 WC Shop Sync – Square Payment Gateway and Product Synchronization for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.5★ (42) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 Sunshine Photo Cart – Client Photo Gallery & Photo Proofing for Photographers 1K+ · 4.7★ (138) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner 1K+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #13 ↑2 1 too high 15 Power Coupons for WooCommerce 30K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↑3 11 too high 16 Square Sync for WooCommerce | Comprehensive Data Sync Between Square and WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too high 17 WebToffee Gift Cards for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.5★ (10) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Coupon Creator 1K+ · 4.3★ (37) wp.org #19 ↑2 1 too low 19 Milo Subscriptions – Subscriptions for WooCommerce and Recurring Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 XT Points & Rewards for WooCommerce 50+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #20 ↑2 21 RewardsWP – Loyalty Points & Referral Program for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↑2 7 too high 22 GIFT4U – Gift Cards All in One for Woo 200+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #22 ↑2 23 B Beltoft Gift Cards for WooCommerce 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Init User Engine – Gamified, Fast, Frontend-First 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑3 8 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.