Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “die”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 2 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

FLIZpay Gateway für WooCommerce shows at wp.org #13 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 80+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

EmbedPress places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 307 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Downgrade | Specific Core Version 100K+ · 4.8★ (169) wp.org #1 2 affiliate-toolkit – Multi-Network Affiliate & Amazon Product Display 2K+ · 4.5★ (22) wp.org #3 ↑5 1 too low 3 WebwinkelKeur: Webshop keurmerk & reviews for WordPress 4K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307) wp.org #20 ↑3 16 too low 5 Faktur Pro for WooCommerce 900+ · 4.6★ (32) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 PrivacyBee – Datenschutz im Autopilot 800+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #4 ↓1 2 too high 7 GNU Terry Pratchett 1K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #11 ↑3 4 too low 8 Simple Webchat 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 Webling 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 avalex – Automatisch sichere Rechtstexte 900+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 ↓1 5 too high 11 WP2LEADS | WordPress und KlickTipp einfach verbinden – WooCommerce und KlickTipp einfach verbinden 70+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #17 ↑3 6 too low 12 Bible Verse of the Day 3K+ · 4.9★ (11) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 Worthy – VG WORT Integration für WordPress 1K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #22 ↓3 9 too low 14 WP-Cron Status Checker 5K+ · 3.5★ (8) wp.org #15 ↑3 1 too low 15 releva.nz | Dynamisches Retargeting 70+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #18 ↓5 3 too low 16 Novalnet Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #12 ↑3 4 too high 17 Unused Media Checker 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↓2 9 too high 18 Homepage Helden Contact Info 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑1 8 too high 19 Janolaw AGB Hosting 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too high 20 Bastora Security Audit 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓6 4 too high 21 Image AI Labels 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↑1 22 rapidmail: Newsletter & E-Mail Marketing for WooCommerce 400+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too high 23 Simple Accessibility 100+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓2 24 FLIZpay Gateway für WooCommerce 80+ · 3.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑3 11 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.