wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “custom api”
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 “custom api”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 5 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
SteadFast API shows at wp.org #7 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 8K+ 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.
Buried gem
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 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.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #2 ↑2 1 too high 4 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too low 5 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Custom API for WP 1K+ · 4.8★ (45) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too high 7 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916)
wp.org #13 ↓2 6 too low 8 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #18 ↑5 10 too low 9 
Disable WP REST API 30K+ · 4.8★ (36)
wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too high 10 
PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281)
wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too low 11 
Product Addons for Woocommerce – Product Options with Custom Fields 30K+ · 4.9★ (474)
wp.org #17 ↓2 6 too low 12 
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71)
wp.org #10 ↑3 2 too high 13 
Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69) heavy footprint
wp.org #9 ↓2 4 too high 14 
Gallery Custom Links 30K+ · 4.7★ (208)
wp.org #16 2 too low 15 
Custom Twitter Feeds – A Tweets Widget or X Feed Widget 100K+ · 4.8★ (401)
wp.org #21 ↑1 6 too low 16 
JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs 10K+ · 4.4★ (74)
wp.org #15 ↑3 1 too high 17 
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #19 ↓5 2 too low 18 
Advanced Custom Fields: Font Awesome Field 90K+ · 4.9★ (36)
wp.org #23 ↓7 5 too low 19 
MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies 10K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑3 5 too high 20 
Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↓3 8 too high 21 
Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
WP API SwaggerUI 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #20 2 too high 23 
Contact Form to Any API 8K+ · 5.0★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 SteadFast API 8K+ · 3.3★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑1 17 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.