wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “comment attachment”
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 “comment attachment”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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
Stop Media Comment Spamming shows at wp.org #6 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) places #8 on merit, 5.0★ from 423 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too low 3 
Disable Comments 100K+ · 3.8★ (25)
wp.org #3 4 
Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #2 ↓1 2 too high 5 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #9 4 too low 6 
Ajaxify Comments – Ajax and Lazy Loading Comments 3K+ · 4.8★ (91)
wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too low 7 
Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202)
wp.org #12 ↑8 5 too low 8 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #14 ↑2 6 too low 9 
Smart Attachment Page Remove 900+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #4 5 too high 10 
No Page Comment 10K+ · 5.0★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↓2 3 too high 11 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #16 5 too low 12 
Postie 10K+ · 4.7★ (139) not PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #17 ↓3 4 too low 14 
Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓7 1 too low 15 
FakerPress 10K+ · 4.9★ (205)
wp.org #19 ↓6 4 too low 16 
FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) not PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓10 4 too low 17 
BuddyPress 90K+ · 4.1★ (375)
wp.org #21 ↓6 4 too low 18 
Download Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (27)
wp.org #11 ↑1 7 too high 19 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #24 5 too low 20 
WordPress Importer 2M+ · 3.1★ (327)
wp.org #13 ↓2 7 too high 21 Stop Media Comment Spamming 800+ · 3.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #6 15 too high 22 
AI 60K+ · 4.2★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #22 23 
Comment Image Boost 50+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #18 5 too high 24 
Remoji – Post/Comment Reaction and Enhancement 300+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓6 1 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.