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

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

RobArt Text Collector shows at wp.org #4 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 40+ 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

Min Max Step Quantity Limits Manager for WooCommerce places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 51 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Plugins Garbage Collector (Database Cleanup) 10K+ · 4.4★ (92) wp.org #1 2 Customer Reviews Collector for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #2 3 Lenix Leads Collector 10K+ · 4.4★ (25) wp.org #3 ↑1 4 Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (973) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 NinjaScanner – Virus & Malware scan 40K+ · 4.0★ (36) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 IdeaPush 700+ · 4.5★ (31) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 WP Terms Popup – Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy WordPress Popups 3K+ · 4.8★ (15) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too low 8 annasta Filters for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (44) wp.org #16 ↓2 8 too low 9 Recapture for Easy Digital Downloads 500+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too low 10 Min Max Step Quantity Limits Manager for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.9★ (51) wp.org #21 ↓1 11 too low 11 Recapture for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #18 ↓2 7 too low 12 Cleanup Action Scheduler 1K+ · 3.2★ (6) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 RobArt Text Collector 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↓1 9 too high 14 ArtPlacer Widget 100+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #14 ↓2 15 M Magic the Gathering Card Tooltips 100+ · 4.2★ (6) wp.org #23 ↓2 8 too low 16 Resume Collector 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↑1 8 too high 17 BaseCloud UTM Tracker 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓2 18 Wine Cellar Manager – From collector to sommelier: wine always in order 10+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #10 8 too high 19 Mawu Art – View in Your Space 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↑7 7 too high 20 Walley Checkout for WooCommerce 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓6 7 too high 21 F Form Data Collector 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22 Comic Collector — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 23 S Simula Security Telemetry for Wordfence 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Secure Login Collector — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓2 5 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.