wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “delete sidebar”
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 “delete sidebar”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Shortcodes in Sidebar shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 400+ 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
FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager places #8 on merit, 4.7★ from 1125 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Delete Duplicate Posts 10K+ · 4.8★ (153)
wp.org #1 2 
Simple Revisions Delete 10K+ · 4.9★ (50)
wp.org #2 3 
Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (1028)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Media Cleaner: Delete Unused Images & Clean Your Media Library 90K+ · 4.6★ (779)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #9 4 too low 6 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
WP Frontend Delete Account 4K+ · 4.6★ (27)
wp.org #5 2 too high 8 FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125)
wp.org #14 6 too low 9 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #13 4 too low 10 
Bulk Delete Comments 5K+ · 3.8★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #3 7 too high 11 
Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
HireZoot – Job Listings, Career Page & Recruitment Tool 30K+ · 4.8★ (194)
wp.org #15 3 too low 13 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #19 6 too low 14 
WP-PostRatings 20K+ · 4.4★ (178)
wp.org #16 2 too low 15 
WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346)
wp.org #18 3 too low 16 
Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167)
wp.org #20 4 too low 17 
Brizy – Page Builder 60K+ · 4.7★ (972) not PHP-current
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 
Custom Permalinks 100K+ · 4.1★ (116)
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 7 too high 20 
SimpLy Gallery 40K+ · 4.8★ (118)
wp.org #22 2 too low 21 
All-in-One Sticky Anything – Click to Call, Fixed Widget, Sticky Header, Menu & Sidebar 1K+ · 4.9★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #11 10 too high 22 
Royal MCP – Secure AI Connector for Claude, ChatGPT & any LLM via MCP 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #21 1 too high 23 S Shortcodes in Sidebar 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 15 too high 24 
flux360 Precision Delete 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 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.