wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “deprecated”
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 “deprecated”, we and wp.org disagree 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
OpenPorte Spam Protection shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Embed Plus for YouTube Gallery, Livestream and Lazy Loading with Facades places #10 on merit, 4.6★ from 572 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement
wp.org #1 2 too high 4 
Simple Social Icons 100K+ · 4.3★ (92)
wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too low 5 
Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.9★ (79)
wp.org #8 ↓3 3 too low 6 
Query Monitor 200K+ · 4.9★ (470)
wp.org #12 ↓2 6 too low 7 
Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 W WP Meta and Date Remover 80K+ · 4.2★ (71)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
Two Factor 100K+ · 4.7★ (209)
wp.org #13 ↑4 4 too low 10 Embed Plus for YouTube Gallery, Livestream and Lazy Loading with Facades 100K+ · 4.6★ (572)
wp.org #18 ↑1 8 too low 11 
Jetpack VaultPress 10K+ · 3.8★ (72)
wp.org #11 12 
Pixel Cat – Conversion Pixel Manager 40K+ · 4.0★ (41)
wp.org #14 2 too low 13 
Re-add text underline and justify 50K+ · 4.7★ (25)
wp.org #16 ↓4 3 too low 14 
DEPRECATED – Shipmondo – A complete shipping solution for WooCommerce 4K+ · 3.0★ (8) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #4 10 too high 15 
Payment Gateway for Redsys & WooCommerce Lite 20K+ · 4.9★ (87) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↑1 5 too low 16 
M Chart 3K+ · 4.9★ (28)
wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17 
WP-ShowHide 9K+ · 4.2★ (43)
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too low 18 
Latest Post Shortcode 4K+ · 4.8★ (46)
wp.org #24 ↓1 6 too low 19 
User Login History 10K+ · 4.6★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too high 20 
Successful Redirection for Contact Form 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #9 11 too high 21 
Genesis Blocks 40K+ · 3.7★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 OpenPorte Spam Protection 500+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↑5 12 too high 23 
Eli's PHP Compatibility Scanner 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 
Hamazon 80+ · 5.0★ (2) 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.