wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “database error”
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 error”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20.
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 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 #10 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 14 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
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 5209 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962)
wp.org #1 2 
Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair 10K+ · 5.0★ (150)
wp.org #2 3 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #3 4 
Database Addon for Contact Form 7 – CFDB7 600K+ · 5.0★ (1875)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708)
wp.org #9 3 too low 7 
WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP 20K+ · 4.5★ (102)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
404 to 301 – Redirect Manager, 301 Redirection, 404 Error Logs & 404 Monitoring 100K+ · 4.7★ (321)
wp.org #13 5 too low 9 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #17 ↓1 8 too low 10 
GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129)
wp.org #14 ↑4 4 too low 11 WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More 4M+ · 4.8★ (5209)
wp.org #23 12 too low 12 
Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms 60K+ · 4.8★ (124)
wp.org #18 ↑1 6 too low 13 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #24 11 too low 14 
CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135)
wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15 S SQLite Database Integration 5K+ · 4.6★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #7 8 too high 16 
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510)
wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too low 17 D Database Collation Fix 1K+ · 5.0★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #11 6 too high 18 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323)
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
Redirection 2M+ · 4.4★ (703)
wp.org #20 1 too low 20 
Debug Log Manager – Conveniently Monitor and Inspect Errors 10K+ · 5.0★ (25)
wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too high 21 
Database for Contact Form 7 7K+ · 4.2★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #8 13 too high 22 
301 Redirects & 404 Error Log 30K+ · 4.6★ (28)
wp.org #15 ↓1 7 too high 23 
Database Manager – WP Adminer 20K+ · 5.0★ (28)
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↑2 14 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.