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

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 “cuny”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 6 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Custom Profile Filters for BuddyPress shows at wp.org #12 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

1 C Commons In A Box 20+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #1 2 B BuddyPress Docs 6K+ · 4.4★ (35) wp.org #4 2 too low 3

CiviCRM Admin Utilities 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #2 1 too high 4 U Unconfirmed 1K+ · 4.5★ (47) closure risk stale but ranked wp.org #8 4 too low 5

CiviCRM Member Sync 800+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #3 2 too high 6 I Invite Anyone 1K+ · 4.3★ (26) closure risk stale but ranked wp.org #7 1 too low 7

CiviCRM Profile Sync 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #5 2 too high 8 A Add User Autocomplete 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 2 too high 9 G Google Docs Shortcode 200+ · 4.3★ (4) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 5 too low 10

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.