wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “date picker”
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 “date picker”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 8 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
Auto Update Post Date shows at wp.org #7 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 2K+ 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
Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 706 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.
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #5 ↓1 4 too low 2 
پارسی دیت – Parsi Date 100K+ · 4.6★ (130)
wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3 
Date Picker For Contact Form 7 4K+ · 3.9★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #1 2 too high 4 
Date Time Picker for Contact Form 7 20K+ · 3.3★ (21) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too low 6 
Product Addons for Woocommerce – Product Options with Custom Fields 30K+ · 4.9★ (474)
wp.org #21 ↓2 15 too low 7 Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping 100K+ · 4.9★ (706)
wp.org #23 ↓2 16 too low 8 
Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 400K+ · 4.9★ (1056)
wp.org #24 ↓2 16 too low 9 
Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612)
wp.org #22 ↑1 13 too low 10 
Date Time Picker for WPForms 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #2 8 too high 11 
Availability Datepicker – Booking Calendar for Contact Form 7 – Input WP 10K+ · 4.1★ (42)
wp.org #12 ↓6 1 too low 12 
Delivery & Pickup Date Time for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (282) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 8 too low 13 
Kikote – Location Picker at Checkout & Google Address AutoFill Plugin for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (65) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too low 14 
Order Delivery Date And Time 1K+ · 4.6★ (19) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↑2 5 too high 15 
Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #13 2 too high 16 
تقویم فارسی – Persian Calendar 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too low 17 
WPC Estimated Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.0★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑2 9 too high 18 
Restrict Dates Add-On for Gravity Forms 500+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too high 19 Auto Update Post Date 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑1 12 too high 20 
Advanced Datepicker – Restrict Date for Elementor Forms 900+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓2 9 too high 21 
Product Delivery Date for WooCommerce – Lite 1K+ · 4.1★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 3 too high 22 
Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for Contact Form 7 500+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↑2 12 too high 23 
Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for WPForms 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 9 too high 24 
Date Filters, Date Picker & Unique IDs for Gravity Forms – Hero Add-On 70+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 7 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.