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

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 widgets”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 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

Essential Widgets shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.5★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 1028 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 wp.org
1 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #1 2 SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134) wp.org #2 3 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #3 4 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Dynamic Widgets 10K+ · 4.7★ (109) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Widget Content Blocks 10K+ · 4.8★ (60) wp.org #6 7 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #10 ↑2 3 too low 8 Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #4 5 too high 10 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #18 8 too low 11 Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (1028) wp.org #22 11 too low 12 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 Black Studio TinyMCE Widget 200K+ · 4.8★ (191) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Dashboard Widgets Suite 4K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108) wp.org #13 ↑3 4 too high 18 C Clear Cache for Me 40K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98) wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too high 20 Cryptocurrency Widgets Pack 600+ · 4.8★ (28) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 Classic Editor and Classic Widgets 20K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #11 ↓1 10 too high 22 Cryptocurrency Widgets For Elementor 1K+ · 4.9★ (15) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Essential Widgets 10K+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #8 15 too high 24 Slope Widgets 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 3 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.