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

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 “deposit”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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

WooCommerce Payfast Gateway shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 30K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Product Gallery Slider, Additional Variation Images for WooCommerce places #11 on merit, 4.6★ from 160 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 signals wp.org

Deposits & Partial Payments for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (111) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Appointment Booking Plugin – LatePoint | Calendar & Scheduling for WordPress 100K+ · 4.9★ (106) wp.org #5 ↓2 3 too low 3

Advanced Partial Payment or Deposit for WooCommerce 200+ · 4.6★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #2 ↑2 1 too high 4

Deposits & Partial Payments for WooCommerce – Bayna 1K+ · 5.0★ (49) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5

Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia 90K+ · 4.6★ (793) wp.org #11 ↑2 6 too low 6

Five Star Restaurant Reservations – WordPress Booking Plugin 10K+ · 4.7★ (211) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #6 ↑12 7

Wallet for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (188) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9

Germanized for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (496) wp.org #18 ↑1 9 too low 10

Print Invoice & Delivery Notes for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.4★ (140) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #12 ↓3 2 too low 11

Product Gallery Slider, Additional Variation Images for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (160) wp.org #23 12 too low 12

Custom Order Status Manager for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.7★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 2 too low 13

WP Hotelier 2K+ · 4.7★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #15 2 too low 14

StockPack – Stock photos and AI images from Unsplash, Adobe Stock, Freepik and more 7K+ · 4.4★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too high 15

Easy Appointments 10K+ · 4.3★ (131) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 ↑5 4 too low 16

Ever Accounting – Accounting & Invoicing Solution for Small Businesses 1K+ · 4.8★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↑1 4 too low 17

Sliced Invoices – WordPress Invoice Plugin 4K+ · 4.6★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #24 ↓2 7 too low 18

Arconix Shortcodes 3K+ · 4.6★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓2 4 too low 19

Colissimo shipping methods for WooCommerce 10K+ · 3.7★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #17 ↓11 2 too high 20

Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓10 1 too low 21

DEPART – Deposit and Part payment for Woo 10+ · 4.5★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #8 ↓1 13 too high 22

WooCommerce Payfast Gateway 30K+ · 3.0★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #7 ↓2 15 too high 23

SecureHold Security Deposit Holds with Stripe for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #10 13 too high 24

Deposits & Partial Payments for WooCommerce – Deposet 100+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↑1 8 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.