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

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 “dental”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Local Business Schema Generator shows at wp.org #8 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Stars Testimonials — Responsive Reviews & Star Ratings places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 65 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #1 2 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Cost Calculator Builder 20K+ · 4.5★ (393) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Mega Addons For WPBakery Page Builder 20K+ · 4.2★ (57) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Booking Package 10K+ · 4.0★ (15) wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too high 6 Stars Testimonials — Responsive Reviews & Star Ratings 1K+ · 4.8★ (65) wp.org #12 ↓3 6 too low 7 Responsive Starter Templates – Elementor Templates & Starter Sites 10K+ · 4.5★ (39) wp.org #7 ↓2 8 MPG – Multiple Page Generator, Bulk Landing Pages & Programmatic SEO 2K+ · 3.9★ (27) wp.org #13 ↓7 5 too low 9 Creavi Appointment Booking Calendar 90+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #10 ↑8 1 too low 10 Medical Before After Gallery 30+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #9 ↓2 1 too high 11 Rox Appointment Booking – Event, Calendar & Appointment Scheduling 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #14 ↓4 3 too low 12 HIPAA Forms 800+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too low 13 Booktics – Appointment Booking Calendar for Service Businesses 700+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #20 ↓1 7 too low 14 Dental Focus 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓3 8 too high 15 JHMG AI Editor for Divi 5 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #19 ↓4 4 too low 16 Bookster – Appointment Booking Management System 100+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #23 ↓2 7 too low 17 Local Business Schema Generator 100+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↑8 9 too high 18 WP Before After Image Slider – Interactive Image and Video Comparison Plugin for WordPress 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 ↓5 2 too high 19 Dental Education Videos 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓3 8 too high 20 Modern Dental Clinic Companion — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓6 2 too high 21 Exindium Before/After Compare 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓3 4 too high 22 Hammas Calendar 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓5 23 DocBooker – Doctor Appointment Booking for Clinics & Hospitals 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24 Visitor Management System – Office Visitor Check-In Logbook 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 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.