wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “custom queries”
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 queries”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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
Advanced Query Loop shows at wp.org #13 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.6★ average from 30 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 #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. 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★ (2143)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too low 5 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
Advanced Queries 10K+ · 4.9★ (40)
wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too high 7 
Custom Permalinks 100K+ · 4.1★ (116)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
BBQ Firewall – Fast & Powerful Firewall Security 100K+ · 4.9★ (160)
wp.org #9 1 too low 9 
ECS – Ele Custom Skin for Elementor 100K+ · 4.6★ (117)
wp.org #8 ↑6 1 too high 10 
Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (1028)
wp.org #15 5 too low 11 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916)
wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too low 12 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #20 8 too low 13 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #11 ↑5 2 too high 14 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 
Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69) heavy footprint
wp.org #10 ↓2 5 too high 16 
Custom Taxonomy Order 50K+ · 4.8★ (96)
wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too low 17 
Admin Custom Login 10K+ · 4.6★ (388)
wp.org #24 ↓4 7 too low 18 
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71)
wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 Advanced Query Loop 6K+ · 4.6★ (30)
wp.org #13 6 too high 20 
Advanced Custom Fields: Font Awesome Field 90K+ · 4.9★ (36)
wp.org #23 ↓1 3 too low 21 
Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 22 
Custom Query Blocks 700+ · 4.6★ (25) not PHP-current
wp.org #19 3 too high 23 
Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↓8 5 too high 24 
CodeKit – Custom Codes Editor 7K+ · 4.8★ (16) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 2 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.