wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “css menu effects”
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 “css menu effects”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
Hover Effects – easily create any hover effect shows at wp.org #5 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 7K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 17 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 1680 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.
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
Sticky Header Effects for Elementor 300K+ · 4.5★ (69)
wp.org #2 3 
Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312)
wp.org #3 4 
Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882)
wp.org #4 5 
Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier ) 10K+ · 4.7★ (250)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
Image Hover Effects – Elementor Addon 40K+ · 4.9★ (83)
wp.org #7 8 
WP Mobile Menu – The Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menu 70K+ · 4.7★ (256)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 
CSS & JavaScript Toolbox 10K+ · 4.8★ (84)
wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #16 5 too low 12 Hover Effects – easily create any hover effect 7K+ · 4.8★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #5 7 too high 13 
Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612)
wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #22 ↑1 8 too low 15 
Float menu – awesome floating side menu 30K+ · 4.4★ (41)
wp.org #11 4 too high 16 
QuadMenu – Mega Menu 10K+ · 4.5★ (270)
wp.org #20 4 too low 17 
Flipbox – Awesomes Flip Boxes Image Overlay 9K+ · 4.7★ (149)
wp.org #17 ↑1 18 
Iks Menu – WordPress Category Accordion Menu & FAQs 10K+ · 5.0★ (27)
wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too high 19 
Simple Floating Menu 10K+ · 5.0★ (38)
wp.org #15 4 too high 20 
Robo Gallery – Photo & Image Slider 40K+ · 4.3★ (406)
wp.org #23 ↓2 3 too low 21 
Master Addons for Elementor – Elementor Addons, Widgets, Mega Menu Builder, Popup Builder, Widget Builder & Template Kits 30K+ · 4.5★ (212)
wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 
Add Admin CSS 10K+ · 4.9★ (35)
wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 
Block Animations, Motion & Scroll Effects – Ghost Kit 6K+ · 4.6★ (46) heavy footprint
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 
Groovy Menu Plugin (Free) 4K+ · 3.6★ (25)
wp.org #19 5 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.