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

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 timeline”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 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

Bold Timeline Lite shows at wp.org #5 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 2528 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 wp.org
1 Timeline Widget For Elementor (Elementor Timeline, Vertical & Horizontal Timeline) 70K+ · 4.8★ (248) wp.org #1 2 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #2 3 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #11 8 too low 4 Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) wp.org #12 8 too low 5 Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Easy Social Feed – All In One Social Feed Plugin for WordPress 30K+ · 4.6★ (502) wp.org #17 11 too low 7 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2052) wp.org #18 11 too low 8 Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #20 11 too low 10 Post Timeline 700+ · 4.2★ (21) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #23 12 too low 12 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #22 9 too low 14 Advanced Timeline Block 500+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 Kirki – Freeform Page Builder, Website Builder & Customizer 400K+ · 4.5★ (81) wp.org #19 3 too low 17 Timeline Blocks 400+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Timeline – Tell Your Story Through Events and Milestones 2K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #6 12 too high 19 WPB Addons for Elementor – News Ticker, Timeline, Team & More Widgets 3K+ · 3.8★ (11) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 ChargeWP Timeline Addons For WPBakery Page Builder 300+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #10 10 too high 21 VK Blocks 100K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 Bold Timeline Lite 10K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #5 17 too high 23 Event Timeline Feed 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 WBD Timeline Block For Gutenberg 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 10 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.