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

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 “compressed”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Squeeze – Browser-Based Image Compression & WebP Converter (No API, No Limits) shows at wp.org #13 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Reviews and Rating – Google Reviews places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 184 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too low 2 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Rich Showcase for Google Reviews 100K+ · 4.9★ (1623) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 CompressX — AVIF & WebP Converter, Media Replacement 40K+ · 5.0★ (197) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Use Any Font | Custom Font Uploader 200K+ · 4.7★ (1148) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 Compressed Emoji 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #1 6 too high 8 Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #9 ↑7 1 too low 9 Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #11 ↑1 2 too low 10 MC4WP: Mailchimp Top Bar – Email Subscribe Notification Bar 6K+ · 4.6★ (31) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 Reviews and Rating – Google Reviews 20K+ · 4.9★ (184) wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too low 12 jQuery Smooth Scroll 10K+ · 4.5★ (47) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 MultiLine Files for Contact Form 7 9K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 Robin Image Optimizer – Unlimited Image Optimization, WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.4★ (131) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule 10K+ · 4.0★ (128) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 Merge + Minify + Refresh 3K+ · 4.2★ (68) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Backup Bolt – Lightweight Backup, Fast WordPress Backup to ZIP 800+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #12 ↓1 6 too high 19 3D Viewer – Turn Product Pages into Interactive 3D Experiences 9K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Dynamic Front-End Heartbeat Control 1K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too high 21 Squeeze – Browser-Based Image Compression & WebP Converter (No API, No Limits) 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #13 ↓4 8 too high 22 Media Library Tools – AI-Powered Rename, Clean & CSV Import/Export 2K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Images Optimize and Upload CF7 700+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Image Optimization For SEO 3K+ · 3.7★ (12) wp.org #19 5 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.