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← Rankings

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

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 “commentmeta”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 18 of the top 20. 3 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

RVS Database Doctor shows at wp.org #5 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 10+ 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

Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance places #3 on merit, 4.9★ from 1962 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 E Easy WP Cleaner 2K+ · 5.0★ (41) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 SweepPress: Website Cleanup and Optimization 500+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #18 15 too low 4 WP Bulk Delete 90K+ · 4.6★ (131) wp.org #14 10 too low 5 BlogVault Backup & Staging 80K+ · 4.6★ (332) wp.org #17 12 too low 6 Templ Optimizer 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Go Live Update Urls 90K+ · 4.5★ (59) wp.org #16 9 too low 8 NHR Database Cleaner & Optimizer – Revisions, Transients, Autoload & Options Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 W WPJAM Basic 4K+ · 3.8★ (32) wp.org #20 10 too low 11 C Commenter Data 20+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #24 13 too low 12 WP Table Pixie 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 RVS Database Doctor 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 8 too high 14 Optimal State – Advanced Optimization, Performance & Security Suite 30+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 CliniQ DB — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 NaveenCodes Database Monitor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 8 too high 17 Wuclean → Database Cleaner for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Scotty — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 8 too high 19 SMEPlan Security Shield — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 Solutiontech Optimización Web — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 CodeCaste Database Cleaner & Optimizer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Nexura Database Cleaner & Optimizer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Ultimate WP DB Manager – WordPress Database Backup, Cleanup & Optimize 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 博 博客优化 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 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.