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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “decode”

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 “decode”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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 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

Motors VIN Decoder shows at wp.org #8 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Event Espresso – Event Registration & Ticketing Sales places #4 on merit, 4.4★ from 136 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #1 2 Export Media URLs 7K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #2 3 JWT Authentication for WP REST API 60K+ · 4.4★ (53) wp.org #3 4 Event Espresso – Event Registration & Ticketing Sales 500+ · 4.4★ (136) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 Text Typing – grab attention with animated typing headlines 3K+ · 3.8★ (6) wp.org #5 ↑1 6 CPW Media Offload for Cloudflare R2 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 UltraCache – Cache and Speed Optimization 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 Flux Media Optimizer – Image & Video Optimization by Flux Plugins 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↑1 4 too high 9 Secure Owl Firewall 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↓2 3 too high 10 Encode Decode Tool 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 11 Animicro 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 1 too low 12 AZRULAT 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↑1 9 too low 13 Tanupom In-Place Converter for WebP 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 Lucid Search & Replace – Safe Database Find and Replace with Preview and Undo 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too low 15 inPIPE by Seresa — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 FlexyConsent – Cookie Consent Management (GDPR, CCPA, IAB TCF) 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too low 17 MiraQlum Image Optimizer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too low 18 Simon's Auto Keyword Linker 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 SoftIcon Flipbook – PDF Flipbook & Magazine Viewer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓3 20 WebLift Booster by Jayanta — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 21 Motors VIN Decoder 400+ · 2.0★ (5) wp.org #8 13 too high 22 Cart Offer Manager for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 NonStop Content Exporter — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23

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.