wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “custom order”
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 order”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 7 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
Custom Order Status for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #11 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 32 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce places #8 on merit, 5.0★ from 350 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #1 2 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #2 ↑3 3 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #9 5 too low 5 
Custom Taxonomy Order 50K+ · 4.8★ (96)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
Custom Order Status Manager for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.7★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce 100K+ · 5.0★ (350)
wp.org #14 6 too low 9 
Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42) not PHP-current
wp.org #6 3 too high 10 
Sequential Order Number for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.9★ (146)
wp.org #13 3 too low 11 
Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↓1 7 too high 12 
Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104)
wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too high 13 
Custom Permalinks 100K+ · 4.1★ (116)
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Product Addons for Woocommerce – Product Options with Custom Fields 30K+ · 4.9★ (474)
wp.org #22 ↑2 8 too low 15 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Order Export & Order Import for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.7★ (337) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too low 17 
Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69) heavy footprint
wp.org #16 ↑7 1 too high 18 
Intuitive Custom Post Order 400K+ · 4.4★ (139)
wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too low 19 
OneClick Chat to Order 30K+ · 4.8★ (84) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓2 5 too low 20 Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 10K+ · 3.3★ (32) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓1 9 too high 21 
WP Sort Order 6K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓2 2 too low 22 N Ni WooCommerce Custom Order Status 2K+ · 4.1★ (16) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 7 too high 23 
Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↑1 5 too high 24 
Advanced Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓3 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.