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

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 jpeg”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

JPEG PNG Compressor shows at wp.org #3 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 50+ 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

Flipbox – Awesomes Flip Boxes Image Overlay places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 149 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 signals wp.org

WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #1 2

TinyPNG Image Optimization – Image Compression JPEG & PNG | Convert to WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.5★ (181) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #2 3

EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #4 1 too low 4

Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF 900K+ · 4.3★ (1656) wp.org #5 1 too low 5

ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 300K+ · 4.5★ (830) wp.org #7 2 too low 6

Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF 500K+ · 4.9★ (1106) wp.org #10 4 too low 7

Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #11 4 too low 8

Kraken.io Image Optimizer – Compress, Convert to WebP & AVIF, Resize & Bulk Optimize 10K+ · 4.5★ (119) wp.org #9 1 too low 9

10Web Booster – Website speed optimization, Cache & Page Speed optimizer 60K+ · 4.6★ (405) wp.org #12 3 too low 10

PhastPress 10K+ · 4.9★ (99) wp.org #13 3 too low 11

Squeeze – Browser-Based Image Compression & WebP Converter (No API, No Limits) 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #6 5 too high 12

Flipbox – Awesomes Flip Boxes Image Overlay 9K+ · 4.7★ (149) wp.org #22 10 too low 13

Easy Media Download 8K+ · 4.0★ (28) wp.org #15 2 too low 14

Media Library Tools – AI-Powered Rename, Clean & CSV Import/Export 2K+ · 4.7★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #14 15

JPEG PNG Compressor 50+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #3 12 too high 16

TheDock Media – Image Optimizer: Compress Images, Convert to WebP & AVIF 500+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #19 3 too low 17

Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF 1M+ · 1.7★ (81) host-installed base wp.org #8 9 too high 18

PixGrow Image Optimizer 90+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #18 19

WebberZone Image Optimizer – WebP & AVIF Converter, Compress Images 20+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #23 4 too low 20

SMNTCS Deactivate Image Compression 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #17 3 too high 21

WPOptimizers – Image Optimizer Lite 50+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #20 1 too high 22

RSS Retriever Lite 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #16 6 too high 23

SlashImage – Image Optimizer: Compress Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 90+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #21 2 too high 24

Image Protection 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews 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.