wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “comment widget”
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 widget”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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
ThemeZee Widget Bundle shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 5K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Polylang places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 3004 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.
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281)
wp.org #2 3 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220)
wp.org #7 ↓2 3 too low 5 
Disable Comments 100K+ · 3.8★ (25)
wp.org #3 ↑3 2 too high 6 
Widgets for Social Photo Feed 10K+ · 4.7★ (28)
wp.org #5 ↑2 1 too high 7 
Black Studio TinyMCE Widget 200K+ · 4.8★ (191)
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 
Image Widget 100K+ · 4.9★ (287)
wp.org #14 6 too low 9 
WPZOOM Social Feed Widget & Block 50K+ · 4.3★ (51)
wp.org #8 1 too high 10 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #13 3 too low 11 Polylang 900K+ · 4.7★ (3004)
wp.org #21 10 too low 12 
Disable Comments & Delete All Comments 9K+ · 5.0★ (41)
wp.org #15 3 too low 13 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
Disqus Comment System 30K+ · 2.7★ (219)
wp.org #11 3 too high 15 
HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 4 too low 16 
Add Widget After Content 6K+ · 4.7★ (38)
wp.org #16 17 
Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↓2 11 too high 18 
Comments – GraphComment | AI-Moderated Comment System 400+ · 4.7★ (30)
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 
Social Slider Feed – Social Media Feed & Gallery Widgets 10K+ · 3.9★ (127)
wp.org #23 ↓1 4 too low 20 
Login Widget With Shortcode 5K+ · 3.8★ (29)
wp.org #20 21 R Recent Comments Widget with Comment Excerpts 100+ · 4.5★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #10 11 too high 22 
ActiveLayer Anti-Spam: Spam Protection for Forms & Comments 10K+ · 4.9★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↑1 23 C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 ThemeZee Widget Bundle 5K+ · 4.8★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #12 12 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.