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

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 “dependency”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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

QR Code Composer – Automatic QR code generation shows at wp.org #9 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.2★ average from 9 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 2433 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1668) wp.org #1 2 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #2 3 Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ · 5.0★ (88) wp.org #3 4 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Kaya QR Code Generator 10K+ · 4.4★ (38) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Query Monitor 200K+ · 4.9★ (470) wp.org #11 5 too low 7 ECS – Ele Custom Skin for Elementor 100K+ · 4.6★ (117) wp.org #8 ↑11 1 too low 8 Performance Lab 100K+ · 4.3★ (51) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 U Unique Headers 10K+ · 4.9★ (160) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #12 ↑4 2 too low 11 Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads 300K+ · 4.9★ (2433) wp.org #23 12 too low 12 User Admin Simplifier 10K+ · 5.0★ (31) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 Joinchat – Enhanced “click to chat” 700K+ · 4.7★ (189) wp.org #18 ↓9 5 too low 14 Kali Forms — Contact Form & Drag-and-Drop Builder 10K+ · 4.8★ (89) wp.org #14 15 LazyLoad Plugin – Lazy Load Images, Videos, and Iframes 100K+ · 4.2★ (139) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 WP Swiper 4K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 Stock Dependencies for WooCommerce 100+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too high 18 QR Code Composer – Automatic QR code generation 3K+ · 4.2★ (9) wp.org #9 ↓1 9 too high 19 Vertical Image Slider – Responsive Thumbnail Slider with Lightbox 1K+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too high 21 MakeITeasy Back To Top 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓1 8 too high 22 F Fast Smooth Scroll 800+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 Optimization Detective 60K+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 VenoBox – Lightweight & Responsive Lightbox Plugin 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.