wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “datastore”
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 “datastore”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 15. 1 plugin is 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
HarborCache – Object Cache with Redis shows at wp.org #2 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 1.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Cloudflare places #2 on merit, 3.5★ from 181 reviews, but shows at wp.org #6. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 Cloudflare 200K+ · 3.5★ (181)
wp.org #6 4 too low 3 
Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 
Ultimate Fields 400+ · 5.0★ (20) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 10 too low 5 
YITH WooCommerce Affiliates 6K+ · 4.2★ (19) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 4 too low 6 
PKODER Supplier Inventory Review — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #3 3 too high 7 
TechWizard Packing Video Link for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
ConfigOps – Configuration Management — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 
Shortcode Datastore — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
Fabrixa Studio for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #11 1 too low 11 
Custom settings for Sucuri Scanner 40+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 1 too low 12 
bpost-shipping-platform 500+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #8 4 too high 13 W WP REST API Idempotent Requests — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 14 
GDPR – WP Plugin — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 1 too low 15 HarborCache – Object Cache with Redis — · 1.0★ (1) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #2 13 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.