wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “database queries”
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 queries”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 1463 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. 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 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 
Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair 10K+ · 5.0★ (150)
wp.org #3 4 
Query Monitor 200K+ · 4.9★ (470)
wp.org #4 ↓2 5 
Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181)
wp.org #5 6 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
BBQ Firewall – Fast & Powerful Firewall Security 100K+ · 4.9★ (160)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463)
wp.org #17 9 too low 9 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #13 4 too low 10 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too low 11 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #14 ↑3 3 too low 12 
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #11 1 too high 13 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too low 14 
Advanced Query Loop 6K+ · 4.6★ (30)
wp.org #9 5 too high 15 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #23 ↓4 8 too low 16 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135)
wp.org #12 5 too high 18 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323)
wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too low 19 
FluentSnippets – High-Performance Code Snippets, Header & Footer Code, Custom CSS & PHP Code Manager 50K+ · 4.7★ (78)
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 S SQLite Database Integration 5K+ · 4.6★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #7 13 too high 21 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #22 1 too low 22 
Database Manager – WP Adminer 20K+ · 5.0★ (28)
wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too high 23 
WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too high 24 CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #10 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.