wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “database version”
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 version”, 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
Database for Contact Form 7 shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 7K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.2★ average from 14 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 #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 2470 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. 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 
Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181)
wp.org #4 5 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8709)
wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too low 6 
Database Reset 10K+ · 4.5★ (77)
wp.org #6 ↑2 7 
WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP 20K+ · 4.5★ (102)
wp.org #7 ↓1 8 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940)
wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too low 9 
Version Info – Server Health Monitor, PHP & MySQL Version Display, Environment Indicators 10K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #5 4 too high 10 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470)
wp.org #20 10 too low 11 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too low 12 
GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129)
wp.org #15 ↑2 3 too low 13 
Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms 60K+ · 4.8★ (124)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323)
wp.org #21 ↑2 7 too low 15 
CF7 Apps – Addons for Contact Form 7 (Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, etc.) 300K+ · 3.8★ (135)
wp.org #13 ↓2 2 too high 16 
FluentSMTP – WP Mail SMTP Plugin with Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Cloudflare, toSend, Gmail and Any SMTP 700K+ · 4.8★ (410)
wp.org #22 ↑2 6 too low 17 D Database Collation Fix 1K+ · 5.0★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #12 5 too high 18 
Database Backup for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (66)
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19 S SQLite Database Integration 5K+ · 4.6★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #9 10 too high 20 
Database Manager – WP Adminer 20K+ · 5.0★ (28)
wp.org #19 ↑2 1 too high 21 
Plugins Garbage Collector (Database Cleanup) 10K+ · 4.4★ (92)
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 Database for Contact Form 7 7K+ · 4.2★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #10 12 too high 23 
CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑3 12 too high 24 
Version Locker: Disable Updates, Rollback and Downgrade 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #24 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.