wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “complete”
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 “complete”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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
BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform shows at wp.org #7 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 10 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #4 ↑4 1 too low 4 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #13 ↑2 9 too low 5 
Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) heavy footprint
wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too low 6 
CrawlWP SEO – Complete WordPress SEO Plugin with AI, Indexing & Search Performance 30K+ · 4.7★ (62) not PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too high 7 
WPSSO Core – Complete Schema Markup and Meta Tags 4K+ · 4.6★ (306)
wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too low 8 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #16 ↑1 8 too low 9 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too low 10 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #14 4 too low 11 
Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #10 ↑2 1 too high 12 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #21 9 too low 13 
Disable Responsive Images Complete 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 too high 14 
ERP: Complete HR, Accounting & CRM Suite Built for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.4★ (149) not PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too low 15 
Order auto complete for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↑1 12 too high 16 
StoreEngine — Complete eCommerce Solution with Memberships, Licensing, Affiliates & More 700+ · 5.0★ (17) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↑9 7 too high 17 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓2 5 too low 18 W WP Photo Album Plus 10K+ · 4.7★ (199) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↑6 19 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #19 ↑3 20 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↓2 13 too high 21 
Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27)
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 
WP Top News — Build a Complete News Portal in WordPress 800+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #17 5 too high 23 
CF7 Views – Complete Entry Management for Contact Form 7 1K+ · 4.6★ (17) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
Fetchify 600+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 4 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.