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← Rankings

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

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 “database”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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

CodingBunny Database Cleaner shows at wp.org #14 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

W3 Total Cache places #11 on merit, 4.4★ from 5420 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #1 2 Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #2 3 Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair 10K+ · 5.0★ (150) wp.org #3 ↑5 4 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Database Addon for Contact Form 7 – CFDB7 600K+ · 5.0★ (1875) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 Database Addon For WPForms ( wpforms entries ) – WPFormsDB 20K+ · 5.0★ (131) wp.org #7 ↓2 8 Database Reset 10K+ · 4.5★ (77) wp.org #8 ↑2 9 WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP 20K+ · 4.5★ (102) wp.org #9 ↑2 10 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #11 ↑3 1 too low 11 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #21 10 too low 12 Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms 60K+ · 4.8★ (124) wp.org #17 ↑2 5 too low 13 Database Backup for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (66) wp.org #15 ↑2 2 too low 14 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #19 ↑3 5 too low 15 Form Vibes – Save Contact Form 7 & Elementor Form Entries to Database 10K+ · 4.9★ (132) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135) wp.org #10 ↓7 6 too high 17 Plugins Garbage Collector (Database Cleanup) 10K+ · 4.4★ (92) wp.org #22 ↑1 5 too low 18 D Database Collation Fix 1K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #16 ↑2 2 too high 19 GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129) wp.org #18 ↓3 1 too high 20 S SQLite Database Integration 5K+ · 4.6★ (12) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Database for Contact Form 7 7K+ · 4.2★ (14) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Database Manager – WP Adminer 20K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↑2 9 too high 24 atec Database 90+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 1 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.