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

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 “compat”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 19 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

Resize Image Before Upload shows at wp.org #3 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 60+ 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

Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 1277 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 PHP Compatibility Checker 200K+ · 2.7★ (131) wp.org #1 2 AMP WP – Google AMP For WordPress 600+ · 4.5★ (55) wp.org #7 5 too low 3 Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616) wp.org #16 ↑5 13 too low 4 Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1277) wp.org #22 ↑2 17 too low 6 P Page Links To 100K+ · 4.9★ (157) wp.org #23 17 too low 7 Democracy Poll 7K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #17 ↓1 10 too low 8 Simple Feature Requests Free – User Feedback Board 100+ · 4.0★ (10) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 WP SVG Images 30K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #14 ↓1 5 too low 10 ShortPixel Adaptive Images – WebP, AVIF, CDN, Image Optimization 10K+ · 4.8★ (145) wp.org #20 ↓1 10 too low 11 Easy Digital Downloads – Pantheon Compat 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 9 too high 12 Shortcode Redirect 10K+ · 4.3★ (31) wp.org #21 ↓1 9 too low 13 Simpler Checkout 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 9 too high 14 Resize Image Before Upload 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 11 too high 15 E Events Manager and WPML Compatibility 1K+ · 2.8★ (13) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 Automation Web Platform – Notifications and OTP for WooCommerce, Advanced Country Code 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 8 too high 17 Modules Insight 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Ultimate AI Connector for Compatible Endpoints 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 8 too high 19 LMN Site Monitor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 Kitgenix PDF Invoicing for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 7 too high 21 R Restaurant Course Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 6 too high 22 KU Sticky Video for YouTube — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 Gsoft Labs Blocks Compatibility Scanner for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too high 24 Beacon Campaign Sender — · 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.