wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “default sorting”

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 “default sorting”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 2 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

Unstoppable Product Sorting for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 60+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 1125 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Extra Product Sorting Options for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.6★ (31) wp.org #1 2

Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3

Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296) wp.org #3 4

Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154) wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too low 5

More Sorting Options for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #2 3 too high 6

User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738) wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too low 7

Admin Columns 100K+ · 4.9★ (1652) wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too low 8

Product Customer List for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.9★ (75) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9

Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ · 4.3★ (4342) not PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too low 10

Product Filter for WooCommerce by WBW 50K+ · 4.8★ (325) wp.org #14 4 too low 11

FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) not PHP-current wp.org #16 5 too low 12

FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125) wp.org #21 ↑1 9 too low 13

Rearrange Products for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (58) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↓1 6 too high 14

Download Monitor 80K+ · 4.5★ (525) wp.org #22 ↑1 8 too low 15

YMC Filter 4K+ · 4.8★ (34) wp.org #11 ↓2 4 too high 16

Gallery by BestWebSoft – Customizable Image and Photo Galleries for WordPress 10K+ · 4.0★ (158) wp.org #15 1 too high 17

Force Default Variant for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.8★ (21) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #8 10 too high 19

Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72) wp.org #17 2 too high 20

Download Attachments 8K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #24 4 too low 21

Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42) not PHP-current wp.org #23 ↑1 2 too low 22

Unstoppable Product Sorting for WooCommerce 60+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #5 ↓1 17 too high 23

Smart Product Sort 30+ · 4.5★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #19 4 too high 24

Essential Content Types 20K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #18 6 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.