Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “codec”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 3 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

Webcam Microphone Screen Recorder – Media Capture shows at wp.org #10 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Podlove Podcast Publisher 3K+ · 4.3★ (45) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 Squeeze – Browser-Based Image Compression & WebP Converter (No API, No Limits) 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Forms Bridge – Infinite integrations 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 too high 4 Magic Product Video for WooCommerce – Self-Hosted Product Video Gallery 20+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 Uplink Media Bridge for Etch 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 6 Video Share VOD – Turnkey Video Site Builder Script 60+ · 2.3★ (12) wp.org #6 7 Hridyaa Image Compressor and Optimizer 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 Posts Bridge – Remote CMS 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 ImReso: Unlimited Target-Size Image Compressor 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↑1 10 CODEC Sponsored Content 10+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11 ZW Player Video Embed 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 Hedef Image Optimizer — WebP & AVIF 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too low 13 Radio Browser Stations 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↓4 2 too high 14 PrinterFlo Image Optimizer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15 AllTerrain MAIA — Media Asset Interface & Administration — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too low 16 Web Studio Šime – Sidrena cijena HR Web 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too low 17 Webcam Microphone Screen Recorder – Media Capture 30+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18 WC Next Sync — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 ImageWoc — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 20 HexCoda A/B Audio Player Lite — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 21 Noesia Smart Waiter — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 22 OZD ImageFileX – Image Converter & Text Graphics 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 Uplink Media Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 24 X3P0: Media Data — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓2

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.