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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cv builder”

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 “cv builder”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20. 3 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

Bold Timeline Lite shows at wp.org #5 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) places #3 on merit, 4.8★ from 333 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Team Members – Multi Language Supported Team Plugin 6K+ · 5.0★ (85) wp.org #7 6 too low 2 ApplyOnline – Application Form Builder and Manager 2K+ · 4.1★ (40) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #14 11 too low 4 BWD Elementor Addons 400+ · 5.0★ (25) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 JobWP – Job Board Plugin for WordPress | Job Listings, Career Page & Applications 1K+ · 5.0★ (20) wp.org #10 ↑2 5 too low 6 WP CV Builder 30+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #1 5 too high 7 Hash Form – Drag & Drop Form Builder 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 ↑1 5 too high 8 WP Time Slots Booking Form 1K+ · 5.0★ (41) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Portfolio Block – The Ultimate Project & Portfolio Builder 800+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 ↓1 6 too high 10 Patternly – Gutenberg Starter Templates, Patterns, WordPress Landing Pages & Sites 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 7 too low 11 Smart AI Forms – AI Form Builder for WordPress 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↑1 7 too low 12 Bold Timeline Lite 10K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #5 7 too high 13 CV Demo Importer 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Smart Forms & Calculators By Embed Sheets 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Meet The Team 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 ComboBlocks — Block Library & Page Builder 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too high 17 GS Coach – Professional Team Showcase for Coaches & Consultants 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 Selection Lite 9K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 Rezicraft – Professional Resume & CV Builder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 AnimFolio – Animated Portfolio & Resume Builder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 FormGlut – Contact Form, Payment Forms, Multi-Step Forms, Conditional Form, Calculator & Custom Form Builder 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22 Cartvai – Ecommerce Checkout, Funnel Builder & Shop Manager — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 23 Zain Corporations Contact Forms — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 Speaker Lite 30+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #19 ↑1 5 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.