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

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

atec Database shows at wp.org #15 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 2470 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

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

Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181) wp.org #2 ↑1 3

Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair 10K+ · 5.0★ (150) wp.org #3 ↓1 4

WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #4 5

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too low 6

WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP 20K+ · 4.5★ (102) wp.org #5 1 too high 7

Perfect Images: Regenerate Thumbnails, Image Sizes, WebP & AVIF 60K+ · 4.8★ (279) wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too low 8

WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #11 ↑3 3 too low 9

Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too high 10

All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #12 ↑4 2 too low 11

WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470) wp.org #19 ↑1 8 too low 12

Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms 60K+ · 4.8★ (124) wp.org #13 1 too low 13

Database Backup for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (66) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14

Disable Media Sizes 10K+ · 5.0★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #9 ↑1 5 too high 15

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #20 ↑2 5 too low 16

W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #22 6 too low 17

Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641) wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too high 18

Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418) wp.org #23 ↓2 5 too low 19

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #24 5 too low 20

BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current wp.org #16 ↑3 4 too high 21

Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint wp.org #21 22

Database Manager – WP Adminer 20K+ · 5.0★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23

Media Size and Filter 100+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too high 24

atec Database 90+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #15 9 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.