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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “custom prefix”

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 prefix”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 4 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 Icons for Elementor and WPBakery shows at wp.org #7 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Max Mega Menu places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 882 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418) wp.org #1 2 Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69) wp.org #2 3 Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Custom Taxonomy Order 50K+ · 4.8★ (96) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #11 ↑3 6 too low 6 RegistrationMagic – Custom Registration Forms, User Registration, Payment, and User Login 7K+ · 4.5★ (459) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 Duplicate Page 3M+ · 4.8★ (466) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882) wp.org #19 ↑2 9 too low 11 Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Sequential Order Number for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.9★ (146) wp.org #17 5 too low 13 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #14 ↓4 1 too low 14 Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807) wp.org #24 ↓4 10 too low 15 CodeKit – Custom Codes Editor 7K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 Meta Field Block – Display Custom Fields for ACF, Meta Box and More 10K+ · 5.0★ (57) wp.org #23 ↑1 7 too low 17 Breadcrumb – Breadcrumb for WooCommerce and Custom Post Types 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #22 ↑1 5 too low 18 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #21 ↑1 3 too low 19 ELEX WooCommerce Product Price Custom Text (Before & After Text) and Discount 2K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #8 11 too high 20 Custom Search by BestWebSoft – WordPress Custom Search Plugin 900+ · 3.9★ (29) wp.org #20 ↓1 21 Advanced Custom Stock Status 8K+ · 4.2★ (37) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 C Custom Metadata Manager 700+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #10 ↑1 12 too high 23 Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix 400+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #16 7 too high 24 Custom Icons for Elementor and WPBakery 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 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.