Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cycling”

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 “cycling”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Content Forge – AI & non-AI content generator, scheduled AI posts, dummy data for your site shows at wp.org #10 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 60+ 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

Flipbox – Awesomes Flip Boxes Image Overlay places #5 on merit, 4.7★ from 149 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 ECS – Ele Custom Skin for Elementor 100K+ · 4.6★ (117) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Accordions 20K+ · 4.5★ (90) wp.org #3 4 WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software 20K+ · 4.9★ (594) wp.org #13 ↑1 9 too low 5 Flipbox – Awesomes Flip Boxes Image Overlay 9K+ · 4.7★ (149) wp.org #15 ↑1 10 too low 6 OS DataHub Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too low 7 Slider Block by Sliderberg – Slider & Carousel Plugin for Block Editor 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 WP Flow Plus 800+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Image Carousel For Divi 1K+ · 4.0★ (6) wp.org #4 5 too high 10 Show Fit File 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Divi Product Carousel 200+ · 3.8★ (5) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too high 12 Squad Modules Lite – Free Divi 5 & Divi 4 Modules for Divi Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #21 ↓1 9 too low 13 Achievements sports league 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 Slidr 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↓1 15 Wbcom Designs – BuddyPress Check-ins 90+ · 3.5★ (11) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 Content Forge – AI & non-AI content generator, scheduled AI posts, dummy data for your site 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 6 too high 17 Treweler Map Builder 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 Teydea Login Security – Password Policy, Complexity Rules & Expiration 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 Xtreme Slider (3D Image Slider) 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 Registration Email Blocker 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑2 4 too high 21 DEL Embed for Bandcamp 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 StoryMap Plugin 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓4 3 too high 23 MatrixMap – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Store Locator & World Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑2 3 too high 24 RP 4U (Maps & Route Planner) 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 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.