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

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 “crumb”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 2 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

Coywolf SEO shows at wp.org #8 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its — 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

Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms places #2 on merit, 4.4★ from 433 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #7 ↑1 6 too low 2 Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms 20K+ · 4.4★ (433) wp.org #16 14 too low 3 X3P0: Breadcrumbs 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #3 4 Crumb 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 Breadcrumb based on URL 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 KnowledgeBase with AI ChatBot HelpDesk – KBx 30+ · 4.6★ (14) wp.org #6 7 Breadcrumb Block 2K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 OpenStation – Admin Dashboard Notes, Custom Dashboard, AI Assistant & PWA 1K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #17 9 too low 9 Genesis Connect for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.1★ (17) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 CLUEVO LMS, E-Learning Platform 400+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 BreadcrumbsPress 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 WorkMore Cookie Crumb – Cookie Consent Banner — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 7 too high 13 BlockStrap Page Builder – Bootstrap Blocks 2K+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 Breadcrumb Widget Pro — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 5 too high 15 Query Blocks — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Coywolf SEO — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↓1 8 too high 17 SEO Made Easy — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 OZY Amplify — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 NoCrumbs Cookie Notice 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too high 20 A Axismundi Media Library — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 GemCRM – CRM, Email Marketing, Newsletter & Marketing Automation 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Breadcrumb TMC 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 3 too high 23 S Schema Breadcrumbs 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 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.