wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “content layout”
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 “content layout”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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
Cards Layout – showcase content in responsive card grids shows at wp.org #8 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 12 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
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 5039 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.
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #1 2 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #2 3 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #3 4 
Shortcodes Ultimate – Content Elements 400K+ · 4.9★ (5925)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 
WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click 100K+ · 4.8★ (1138)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Content Control – The Ultimate Content Restriction Solution! Restrict Content, Create Conditional Blocks & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (575)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Smart Grid-Layout Design for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.5★ (72)
wp.org #4 ↑1 3 too high 8 
Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #10 ↑2 2 too low 9 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too low 10 
Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too low 11 
Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking 20K+ · 4.3★ (62)
wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039)
wp.org #22 10 too low 13 
MxChat – AI Chatbot & Content Generation for WordPress 2K+ · 5.0★ (31)
wp.org #13 14 
Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58)
wp.org #18 4 too low 15 
WP Blog Post Layouts 9K+ · 4.7★ (83)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Content Egg – Affiliate Product Importer & Price Comparison 10K+ · 3.9★ (56)
wp.org #16 17 
Content Blocks Builder – Create blocks, repeater blocks with carousel, grid, popup layouts 1K+ · 5.0★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #17 18 
Advanced Floating Content Lite 7K+ · 4.1★ (30)
wp.org #23 5 too low 19 
Layouts for WPBakery 3K+ · 4.4★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #19 20 Cards Layout – showcase content in responsive card grids 500+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 12 too high 21 
Essential Content Types 20K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 10 too high 22 
Layout Recompiler for Brizy 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #20 2 too high 23 
Content Parts 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
Flexible Layout Preview Image for ACF 800+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 12 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.