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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “colored order note”

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 “colored order note”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

GovernDocs Document Management – Agenda, Minutes, Meetings, Reports & more shows at wp.org #7 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ 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

Social Sharing Plugin – Sassy Social Share places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 523 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #1 2 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #2 3 Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187) wp.org #3 4 Divi Torque Lite 50K+ · 4.7★ (116) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 EventPrime – Events Calendar, Bookings, Tickets & AI 7K+ · 4.4★ (85) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312) wp.org #6 7 JetFormBuilder — Dynamic Blocks Form Builder 80K+ · 4.2★ (72) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Social Sharing Plugin – Sassy Social Share 100K+ · 4.8★ (523) wp.org #18 10 too low 9 FluentBoards – Project Management, Task Management, Goal Tracking, Kanban Board, and, Team Collaboration 6K+ · 5.0★ (25) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Exclusive Addons for Elementor 50K+ · 4.7★ (47) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 StoreEngine — Complete eCommerce Solution with Memberships, Licensing, Affiliates & More 700+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 Share Buttons & AI-powered Summaries 1K+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 WC Korkmaz Contract – Contracts for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (22) wp.org #19 6 too low 14 Jetpack Social 30K+ · 3.3★ (74) wp.org #16 2 too low 15 teachPress 2K+ · 4.8★ (25) wp.org #20 5 too low 16 VikRestaurants Table Reservations and Take-Away 500+ · 4.8★ (10) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Taskbuilder – Project Management & Task Management Tool With Kanban Board 700+ · 4.7★ (7) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 DHL eCommerce (Benelux) for WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 9 too high 19 Syndication Links 300+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 GovernDocs Document Management – Agenda, Minutes, Meetings, Reports & more 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 13 too high 21 REDSHAPE Easy Labels 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 9 too high 22 Advanced Ajax Posts Filter For Elementor 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 Onlinefotka Order Status Manager for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Admin Order Notes & Status Highlighter — · 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.