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

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 “convert”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 5 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

Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF shows at wp.org #4 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 1M+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.7★ average from 81 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Use Any Font | Custom Font Uploader places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 1148 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF 900K+ · 4.3★ (1656) wp.org #1 ↑1 2

Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF 500K+ · 4.9★ (1106) wp.org #2 ↓1 3

ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 300K+ · 4.5★ (830) wp.org #3 4

Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053) wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too low 5

CompressX — AVIF & WebP Converter, Media Replacement 40K+ · 5.0★ (197) wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too low 6

Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too low 7

WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #6 ↓2 1 too high 8

EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #11 ↓4 3 too low 9

WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #14 5 too low 10

Kraken.io Image Optimizer – Compress, Convert to WebP & AVIF, Resize & Bulk Optimize 10K+ · 4.5★ (119) wp.org #15 5 too low 11

Use Any Font | Custom Font Uploader 200K+ · 4.7★ (1148) wp.org #23 12 too low 12

Convert to Blocks 2K+ · 4.7★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #5 ↑1 7 too high 13

Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 6 too low 14

TinyPNG Image Optimization – Image Compression JPEG & PNG | Convert to WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.5★ (181) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #12 2 too high 15

Cimo – Free Instant Image Optimizer & WebP Converter 10K+ · 4.9★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓4 1 too low 16

UiChemy – Convert Figma, Prompts and AI Builds to Elementor, Gutenberg and Bricks 8K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #13 3 too high 17

PNG to JPG 10K+ · 4.7★ (40) wp.org #22 5 too low 18

Trinity Audio – Text to Speech AI audio player to convert content into audio 2K+ · 4.0★ (25) wp.org #24 ↓1 6 too low 19

Yotako – Convert Figma Designs 200+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20

Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF 1M+ · 1.7★ (81) host-installed base low rating, top placement wp.org #4 ↑1 16 too high 21

WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22

Convert Rank Math FAQ to Accordion 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #9 ↑1 13 too high 23

Designed2Use Convert to WebP/AVIF 30+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #21 2 too high 24

Convert WPBakery to Elementor 500+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 6 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.