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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “confidential data”

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 “confidential data”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

EXIF Remover shows at wp.org #4 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 500+ 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

Poll Maker by AYS – Versus Polls, Anonymous Polls, Image Polls places #10 on merit, 4.4★ from 91 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #1 2 Property Hive 3K+ · 4.9★ (96) wp.org #2 3 Pop-up 10K+ · 4.7★ (86) wp.org #3 4 Document Viewer – let visitors view files right in the browser 2K+ · 4.7★ (52) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Forumax – AI Powered Advanced Community Forum Plugin 500+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 New User Approve 20K+ · 4.3★ (131) wp.org #11 5 too low 7 User Private Files – Secure File Sharing and Client Portal Plugin 1K+ · 4.4★ (57) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Trusty Whistleblowing Solution 400+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #8 9 WP OAuth Server ( Login with WordPress ) 1K+ · 4.9★ (41) wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too low 10 Poll Maker by AYS – Versus Polls, Anonymous Polls, Image Polls 6K+ · 4.4★ (91) wp.org #17 ↑2 7 too low 11 Contact List – Online Staff Directory & Address Book 1K+ · 4.8★ (19) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 Data Diagrams: Visual Chart Editor for WordPress 10+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 EXIF Remover 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 9 too high 14 translit it! 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Pollify – Feedback Polls, Anonymous Polls, Up/down Voting, NPS Surveys, Export data 50+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #14 ↓2 1 too high 16 All-in-One Microsoft 365 & Entra ID / Azure AD SSO Login 600+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 R RuCookie & 152-ФЗ 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↑5 5 too high 18 Whistleblowing & Contact Form – Secure, Anonymous, Drag & Drop Builder 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too high 19 WebEquipe PDF Search 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20 ITBoffins Live Opening Hours Banner & Table 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 ConsentOwl — Cookie Consent & Tracker Blocker 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too high 22 RUS Video Embeds for VK Video, Rutube and Dzen 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑2 2 too high 23 Vagizov Metrika Loader 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↑2 2 too high 24 Block & Optimize PDFs – PDF.dk 30+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.