wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “custom chat”
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 chat”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20.
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
ChatHelp – Click to Chat Button, Chat to Order for WooCommerce & Floating Chat Form shows at wp.org #11 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 9 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 3221 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775)
wp.org #1 2 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Click to Chat – HoliThemes 600K+ · 4.8★ (131)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #4 5 
Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696)
wp.org #5 6 
Tidio – Live Chat & AI Chatbots 70K+ · 4.8★ (395)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Chat Button & Custom ChatGPT-Powered Bot by GetButton.io 20K+ · 4.5★ (175)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142)
wp.org #8 9 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221)
wp.org #15 6 too low 10 
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 100K+ · 4.6★ (820)
wp.org #13 3 too low 11 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too high 12 
Joinchat – Enhanced “click to chat” 700K+ · 4.7★ (189)
wp.org #12 ↓3 13 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (116)
wp.org #14 15 
Simple Ajax Chat – Add a Fast, Secure Chat Box 2K+ · 4.9★ (215)
wp.org #17 2 too low 16 
Smartsupp – live chat, AI shopping assistant and chatbots 20K+ · 4.7★ (131)
wp.org #19 3 too low 17 
Wise Chat 4K+ · 4.4★ (105)
wp.org #16 1 too high 18 
Simple Chat Button 40K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↑1 8 too high 19 
LiveChat – Live Chat Plugin for WP Websites 10K+ · 4.6★ (98)
wp.org #21 2 too low 20 
OneClick Chat to Order 30K+ · 4.8★ (84)
wp.org #22 2 too low 21 
Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 ChatHelp – Click to Chat Button, Chat to Order for WooCommerce & Floating Chat Form 2K+ · 4.4★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑1 11 too high 23 
WP Click to Chat – Email, Live Chat, Call & Book Now Buttons 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↑1 1 too low 24 
Pulsating Chat Button 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #20 4 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.