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

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 entries”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

CodingBunny Database Cleaner shows at wp.org #12 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 11 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

WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 14387 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.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Database Addon For WPForms ( wpforms entries ) – WPFormsDB 20K+ · 5.0★ (131) wp.org #1 ↑1 2

Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #2 ↓1 3

Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair 10K+ · 5.0★ (150) wp.org #3 4

Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms 60K+ · 4.8★ (124) wp.org #4 5

WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #6 1 too low 6

Database Addon for Contact Form 7 – CFDB7 600K+ · 5.0★ (1875) wp.org #8 ↓2 2 too low 7

Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181) wp.org #7 ↓2 8

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #11 3 too low 9

GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 ↑2 4 too high 10

WP Reset 300K+ · 4.8★ (1014) wp.org #17 ↓3 7 too low 11

Form Vibes – Save Contact Form 7 & Elementor Form Entries to Database 10K+ · 4.9★ (132) wp.org #14 ↓3 3 too low 12

WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387) wp.org #24 ↓5 12 too low 13

WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #22 9 too low 14

Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418) wp.org #21 ↓5 7 too low 15

GravityExport Lite for Gravity Forms 10K+ · 5.0★ (39) wp.org #13 ↓3 2 too high 16

Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807) wp.org #23 ↓5 7 too low 17

BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current wp.org #19 2 too low 18

CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #10 8 too high 19

Database for Contact Form 7 7K+ · 4.2★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #9 ↓1 10 too high 20

Views for WPForms – Display & Edit WPForms Entries on your site frontend 1K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓3 21

GSheetConnector – WPForms Google Sheets Connector, Save WPForms Lite & PRO Entries to Database & Sheets 7K+ · 4.6★ (18) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓3 6 too high 22

atec Database 90+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓3 6 too high 23

CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓3 11 too high 24

Entry Manager for WPForms – Save Form Entries to Database & Export 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓3 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.