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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “css override”

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 override”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Override String Translations shows at wp.org #3 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.9★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce places #8 on merit, 5.0★ from 1865 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 CSS & JavaScript Toolbox 10K+ · 4.8★ (84) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 WP Add Custom CSS 60K+ · 4.8★ (89) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Add Admin CSS 10K+ · 4.9★ (35) wp.org #4 5 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too low 7 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too low 8 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #18 ↓2 10 too low 9 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) wp.org #17 ↓2 8 too low 10 Asset CleanUp: Page Speed Booster 100K+ · 4.9★ (1564) wp.org #20 ↓2 10 too low 11 Simple Custom CSS Plugin 100K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too low 13 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 300K+ · 4.8★ (926) wp.org #19 6 too low 14 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #14 ↓5 15 Override String Translations 1K+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #3 12 too high 16 Pattern CSS – The CSS Editor For Blocks 100+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281) wp.org #23 6 too low 18 Disable CSS JS Cache 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 12 too high 19 Advanced Custom CSS for Elementor 200+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #9 ↑2 10 too high 20 L Live CSS Preview 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓2 10 too high 21 SMTP Mail Control for MailPoet 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too high 22 Dessky Custom CSS 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓2 2 too low 23 P Page Optimize 200K+ · 3.0★ (5) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 Easy Critical CSS 70+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓1 3 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.