wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “data object”
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 “data object”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 2 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
Culture Object shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 40+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 5039 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
SQLite Object Cache 10K+ · 5.0★ (51)
wp.org #1 2 
Docket Cache – Object Cache Accelerator 20K+ · 4.9★ (50)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 
wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP 100K+ · 4.5★ (252) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too high 6 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #8 ↑10 2 too low 7 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too low 8 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too high 9 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too low 10 
Object Data Sync for Salesforce Integration with WP, Woo, Gravity, WPForms, Ninja, CF7 & more 100+ · 4.9★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too high 11 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #16 ↓3 5 too low 12 
Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone 600K+ · 4.5★ (135)
wp.org #13 ↑8 1 too low 13 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #22 9 too low 14 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #20 6 too low 15 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #17 ↓3 2 too low 16 
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #21 ↓2 5 too low 17 
Post Meta Data Manager 1K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too high 18 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #24 6 too low 19 
Data Source for Contact Form 7 300+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #12 7 too high 20 
Form data to kintone 1K+ · 4.9★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too high 21 C Culture Object 40+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #11 10 too high 22 
SpeedyCache – Cache, Optimization, Performance 500K+ · 4.4★ (30) host-installed base
wp.org #23 1 too low 23 
Simple Export Import for ACF Data 1K+ · 3.4★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑1 8 too high 24 
Yac Object Cache 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 6 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.