wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “debug metabox”

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 “debug metabox”, 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

MetaBox Fulfillment shows at wp.org #7 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Bulk Auto Image Alt Text (Alt tag, Alt attribute) optimizer (image SEO) places #12 on merit, 4.2★ from 111 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Advanced Cron Manager – debug & control 30K+ · 4.7★ (39) wp.org #1 2

Media Cleaner: Delete Unused Images & Clean Your Media Library 90K+ · 4.6★ (779) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

CMB2 300K+ · 5.0★ (91) wp.org #2 1 too high 4

WP Attachments – Smarter File Management & Download Lists 3K+ · 4.5★ (43) wp.org #5 6

My WP Customize Admin/Frontend 8K+ · 4.3★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #4 2 too high 7

Gmedia Photo Gallery 7K+ · 4.3★ (260) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 S Scripts To Footer 7K+ · 4.7★ (37) wp.org #10 2 too low 9

Nobs • Share Buttons 3K+ · 4.7★ (93) wp.org #17 8 too low 10 T Translation with DeepL API 3K+ · 4.0★ (29) wp.org #9 1 too high 11

Post My CF7 Form 2K+ · 4.8★ (48) wp.org #18 ↑2 7 too low 12

Bulk Auto Image Alt Text (Alt tag, Alt attribute) optimizer (image SEO) 10K+ · 4.2★ (111) wp.org #22 10 too low 13

PushEngage – Web Push Notifications, WooCommerce Automation & Chat Widget 8K+ · 4.3★ (37) wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too low 14

Royal MCP – Secure AI Connector for Claude, ChatGPT & any LLM via MCP 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 15

WP Views Counter 2K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #11 4 too high 16

Payment Gateway for LiqPay for Woocommerce 1K+ · 4.3★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓2 4 too low 17

Open Graphite 3K+ · 3.3★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #8 9 too high 18

MetaBox Fulfillment 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #7 ↓1 11 too high 19

CDI – Collect and Deliver Interface for Woocommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #21 2 too low 20

Price Per Unit For WooCommerce 50+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↑1 5 too high 21

Simple Log Viewer 10+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #23 2 too low 22

Schema Scalpel 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↑1 9 too high 23

JSM Show Comment Metadata 30+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #19 4 too high 24

SEUR Oficial 1K+ · 1.0★ (2) 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.