Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “complaints”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 7 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

Spotrebiteľské práva pre WooCommerce shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 124 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Armour – Honeypot Anti Spam 400K+ · 5.0★ (1471) wp.org #1 2 MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435) wp.org #2 3 Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) wp.org #3 4 GDPR 10K+ · 4.3★ (58) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 Customize WordPress Emails and Alerts – Better Notifications for WP 30K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #12 ↓1 7 too low 6 WP Socializer – Simple & Easy Social Media Share Icons 10K+ · 4.5★ (128) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Print, PDF & Email by PrintFriendly 20K+ · 3.8★ (237) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Libro de Reclamaciones y Quejas 3K+ · 3.8★ (10) wp.org #4 ↑11 4 too high 9 Payment forms, Buy now buttons, and Invoicing System | GetPaid 5K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #17 ↑1 8 too low 10 ShortPixel Adaptive Images – WebP, AVIF, CDN, Image Optimization 10K+ · 4.8★ (145) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.7★ (124) wp.org #23 12 too low 12 Easyship WooCommerce Shipping Rates 2K+ · 4.2★ (54) wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too low 13 Mailster AmazonSES Integration 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 too high 14 Block, Suspend, Report for BuddyPress 500+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 Packeta 8K+ · 4.0★ (9) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 YITH PayPal Express Checkout for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too high 17 B BP Messages Tool 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #19 ↓3 2 too low 18 Flexible Refund for WooCommerce – EU One Click Return 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #7 11 too high 19 PayPal Brasil para WooCommerce 1K+ · 3.8★ (12) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 Edroz Libro de Reclamaciones 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 7 too high 21 Email Inquiry & Cart Options for WooCommerce 800+ · 3.2★ (20) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Spotrebiteľské práva pre WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓4 12 too high 23 Naked Cat Logo for Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Manago AI & Leadoo AI 900+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓3 9 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.