wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “content migration”
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 migration”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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
Tutor LMS – Migration Tool shows at wp.org #12 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 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.
All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706)
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Backup Migration 80K+ · 4.9★ (1338)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
Content Control – The Ultimate Content Restriction Solution! Restrict Content, Create Conditional Blocks & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (575)
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #6 ↑7 2 too high 9 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #22 13 too low 10 
Prime Mover – Backup and Migration 10K+ · 5.0★ (141)
wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too low 11 
Easy Table of Contents 600K+ · 4.4★ (221)
wp.org #13 ↓2 2 too low 12 
WebToffee WP Backup and Migration 5K+ · 4.5★ (49) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↓1 5 too high 13 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↑4 1 too low 14 
WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓2 3 too high 15 
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint
wp.org #19 ↑2 4 too low 16 
LitExtension – Automated Store Migration & Import 1K+ · 4.8★ (51)
wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 
1-Click WordPress Migration Plugin – Backup, Migrate & Clone 400+ · 4.5★ (40)
wp.org #17 ↓1 18 
Pantheon Migrations 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓3 8 too high 19 
FastDup – Fastest WordPress Migration & Duplicator 5K+ · 4.6★ (27)
wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 
Cloudways WordPress Migrator 10K+ · 4.2★ (36)
wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 
Royal WordPress Backup, Restore & Migration Plugin – Backup WordPress Sites Safely 30K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 Tutor LMS – Migration Tool 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓2 10 too high 23 
AI Content Signals 800+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 
Demi – One Click Demo Import, Backup & Site Migration 300+ · 0.0★ (0) 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.