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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “device simulation”

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 “device simulation”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

SecureLite Security – Firewall, Malware Scanner & Attack Simulation shows at wp.org #2 but places #9 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Invisible Anti-Spam & CAPTCHA — reCAPTCHA Alternative for All Forms places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 50 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 Social Proof Popups & Real-Time Notifications – Herd Effects 900+ · 3.9★ (15) wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too low 2 WPKoi Templates for Elementor 5K+ · 4.6★ (19) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 Elements Hive for Breakdance 1K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Bradmax Player 1K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #4 5 Cloudinary – Deliver Images and Videos at Scale 5K+ · 4.0★ (64) wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too low 6 Invisible Anti-Spam & CAPTCHA — reCAPTCHA Alternative for All Forms 5K+ · 4.8★ (50) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Responsive Testing: simulate different devices 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 6 too high 8 U Urvanov Syntax Highlighter 3K+ · 4.5★ (19) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 SecureLite Security – Firewall, Malware Scanner & Attack Simulation 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 ↑1 7 too high 10 PostFinance Checkout for Woocommerce 900+ · 1.8★ (38) wp.org #6 ↑4 4 too high 11 AForms — Form Builder for Price Calculator & Cost Estimation 3K+ · 4.8★ (8) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 Cursor Style & Animation 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 Mirrago Virtual Tryon — · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too low 14 Responsive Checker & Device Preview – Mobile Responsive Testing, Simulator & Developer Tools 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Versatile – Troubleshoot, Temporary Login, Quick Action, Maintenance & Comingsoon Mode — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 16 Throwable 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 17 Host5 Fluid Splash Cursor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 18 G GFit Virtual Tryon 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↑4 4 too high 19 CursorCraft – Cursor Builder for Elementor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 20 Calucon Third-Party Embed Gate 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 21 Chimpjar Accessibility Toolbar — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Mailing Manager – PN 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Delowar OTP Login and Two-Factor Authentication — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 CeyPay Payment Gateway — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 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.