wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “customize scrollbar”
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 “customize scrollbar”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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
Advanced Scrollbar – Give Your Site a Sleek Branded Scrolling Feel shows at wp.org #2 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Ultimate Blocks – 25+ Gutenberg Blocks for Block Editor places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 729 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. 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)
wp.org #3 2 too low 2 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #4 2 too low 3 
Scrollbar 300+ · 4.8★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #1 2 too high 4 
PWA for WP – Progressive Web Apps Made Simple 10K+ · 4.6★ (230)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435)
wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 
Dark Mode – Improve Accessibility with AI Powered Dark Theme 20K+ · 4.5★ (391)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616)
wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 
Popups for Divi 100K+ · 4.8★ (442)
wp.org #12 ↑5 4 too low 9 
Custom Login Page Customizer 50K+ · 4.9★ (477)
wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too low 10 
MultiVendorX – WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace AI Powered Solutions 2K+ · 4.8★ (432)
wp.org #18 ↑2 8 too low 11 Ultimate Blocks – 25+ Gutenberg Blocks for Block Editor 50K+ · 4.9★ (729)
wp.org #24 13 too low 12 
Darkify – Dark Mode & Night Mode for Website & Admin (Dark Theme Included) 1K+ · 4.7★ (27)
wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too high 13 
Visual CSS Style Editor 30K+ · 4.1★ (90)
wp.org #13 ↓1 14 
PVT – Product Variation Table for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (49)
wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #23 8 too low 16 
Team Members – A WordPress Team Plugin with Gallery, Grid, Carousel, Slider, Table, List, and More 2K+ · 4.7★ (91)
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too low 17 Advanced Scrollbar – Give Your Site a Sleek Branded Scrolling Feel 600+ · 3.0★ (7) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #2 15 too high 18 
WPC Buy Now Button for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #11 7 too high 19 
annasta Filters for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (44)
wp.org #19 ↓1 20 
Modal Window – create popup modal window 10K+ · 3.8★ (36)
wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too high 21 
Swipe Slider – Make dynamic slider with solid, gradient, or image background 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↑1 15 too high 22 
Product Gallery Swiper for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #21 1 too high 23 
fullPage Vertical & Horizontal Slider – Snap Scroll Sections & More 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 
Bizzview – Quick View for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) 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.