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

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 “codepen”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 5 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

All Embed – Multi-Source Embed Widgets for Elementor shows at wp.org #6 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 500+ 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

iubenda | All-in-one Compliance for GDPR / CCPA Cookie Consent + more places #5 on merit, 4.7★ from 397 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 WP Socializer – Simple & Easy Social Media Share Icons 10K+ · 4.5★ (128) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Master Addons for Elementor – Elementor Addons, Widgets, Mega Menu Builder, Popup Builder, Widget Builder & Template Kits 30K+ · 4.5★ (212) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 CodePen Embed Block 600+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 iubenda | All-in-one Compliance for GDPR / CCPA Cookie Consent + more 200K+ · 4.7★ (397) wp.org #16 ↓1 11 too low 6 C CodePen Embedded Pens Shortcode 800+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 HTML Editor Syntax Highlighter 60K+ · 4.4★ (110) wp.org #15 ↑4 8 too low 8 Simple Digital Clock 🕒 500+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 Lightweight Social Icons 20K+ · 4.7★ (63) wp.org #19 ↓2 10 too low 10 Superb Social Media Share Buttons and Follow Buttons 6K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11 Popular Brand Icons – Simple Icons 3K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 WDV About Me Widget 800+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 TurboPress Embed 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↑1 5 too high 14 Code Block – share beautiful code snippets readers can copy 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too high 15 All Embed – Multi-Source Embed Widgets for Elementor 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 Group Splash – Team Introducer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Konrad's Editable HTML — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 TograStickyElements — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 sendMeMsg — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 RateX ils Plugin — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Name: Amazing Neo Brands 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 W WP-Gistpen 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 Necessary Blocks – Page Builder, Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 U UGC Creator 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.