Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “comma”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Essential Content Types shows at wp.org #6 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Loading Page with Loading Screen places #11 on merit, 4.6★ from 124 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 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89) wp.org #1 2 Easy Table of Contents 600K+ · 4.4★ (221) wp.org #2 3 R Really Simple CSV Importer 40K+ · 4.9★ (107) wp.org #3 4 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525) wp.org #10 ↑8 6 too low 5 Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187) wp.org #7 ↑2 2 too low 6 HTML Page Sitemap (Block and Shortcode) 10K+ · 4.4★ (24) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 M Media Search Enhanced 5K+ · 4.4★ (28) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 WP All Export – Drag & Drop Export to Any Custom CSV, XML & Excel 100K+ · 4.5★ (415) wp.org #13 5 too low 9 Export Media URLs 7K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #9 ↓1 10 Export and Import Users and Customers 50K+ · 4.8★ (442) wp.org #16 ↓2 6 too low 11 Loading Page with Loading Screen 10K+ · 4.6★ (124) wp.org #21 ↑2 10 too low 12 Iks Menu – WordPress Category Accordion Menu & FAQs 10K+ · 5.0★ (27) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 T Throws SPAM Away 10K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 ↓1 5 too high 14 Taxonomy Switcher 2K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #17 3 too low 15 Gravity Forms Email Blacklist 10K+ · 4.3★ (15) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 CSV Importer 3K+ · 4.2★ (28) wp.org #18 ↑4 2 too low 17 matchHeight 2K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #12 ↓2 5 too high 18 Alt Text Tools 800+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #14 ↓2 4 too high 19 Shop Page WP 2K+ · 5.0★ (22) wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too low 20 TWB Woocommerce Reviews 600+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #23 ↑1 3 too low 21 Essential Content Types 20K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #6 15 too high 22 Estimated Delivery for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Form Input Masks For Elementor Forms 10K+ · 4.1★ (18) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 D Display HTML Sitemap 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #19 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.