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← Rankings

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

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 “dictate”, 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

auto-post.io shows at wp.org #6 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 200+ 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

Simple Link Directory – AI Powered places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 121 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Survey Maker by AYS 5K+ · 4.8★ (79) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 WPBot – AI ChatBot for Live Support, Lead Generation, WordPress Automation, AI Services 5K+ · 4.7★ (124) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 GazChap's WooCommerce Purchase Order Payment Gateway 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Popup builder with Gamification, Multi-Step Popups, Page-Level Targeting, and WooCommerce Triggers 70K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Topic Progression Using Storyline/Captivate for LearnDash 400+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #24 18 too low 7 RDP Wiki Embed 300+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #14 7 too low 8 ThreatPoint IP Reputation 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #8 9 Chat AgentX Widget — · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 Post Lockdown 1K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #22 12 too low 11 Dictate Button — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Resolai – AI Chatbot for Customer Support 300+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #23 11 too low 13 auto-post.io 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 Buttonify-Dropshipping 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 5 too high 15 Speak Input – Voice Dictation for ACF — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Vocalect Audio Input — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 ThreatPoint Email Validator — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 Delo Voice Record — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 3 too high 19 StoreBooster — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 Connector for VozCaster — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too high 21 KennelFlow Vet — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Shoplex – EU Compliance for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 6 too high 23 Marquee image crawler 600+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too high 24 Timeline Express – Date – Time Add-On 100+ · 2.3★ (3) 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.