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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “dimensional code”

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 “dimensional code”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 4 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

Shipping Guard – Advanced Shipping Suite, Weight Based Shipping, Zero Emission & Protection shows at wp.org #18 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 3.5★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Breadcrumb NavXT places #7 on merit, 4.6★ from 132 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GenerateBlocks 200K+ · 4.9★ (122) wp.org #1 2 GutenKit – Page Builder Blocks, Patterns, and Templates for Gutenberg Block Editor 80K+ · 4.5★ (48) wp.org #2 3 Order Minimum/Maximum Amount Limits for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (40) wp.org #3 4 Automated FedEx live/manual rates with shipping labels – HPOS supported 200+ · 4.9★ (12) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Pixel Tag Manager for WooCommerce – Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, and More Pixels 2K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Automated UPS Shipping for WooCommerce – HPOS supported 100+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Breadcrumb NavXT 800K+ · 4.6★ (132) wp.org #17 10 too low 8 Variable Inspector 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Flexible Quantity & Price Calculator for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Advanced Shipping Manager 40+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 Data Diagrams: Visual Chart Editor for WordPress 10+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 ShipperHQ: Shipping & Checkout Experience Solution 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Easy Shipping Rate for WooCommerce 20+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 Defyn Shipping Pro 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Advanced Shipping Rate Builder – Table Rate, Conditional & Weight Based Shipping 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Cute CTA Button 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 17 ShipQora – All-in-One Shipping Solution – Advanced Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Zonos Checkout for WooCommerce 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 BoxIntellect – AI Box Packing & Package Dimensions for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Sadat Loginverse — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 AZC 3D Viewer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Flexible Extra Fees Manager for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Dependent Media Live Rates for USPS 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Shipping Guard – Advanced Shipping Suite, Weight Based Shipping, Zero Emission & Protection — · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #18 6 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.