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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “directory sync”

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 “directory sync”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

CiviCRM Member Sync shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Photo Engine (Media Organizer & Lightroom) places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 210 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 Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445) wp.org #1 2 Media Sync 50K+ · 4.7★ (86) wp.org #2 3 Name Directory 2K+ · 4.9★ (81) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Directorist: AI-Powered Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads 20K+ · 4.6★ (698) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470) wp.org #10 ↓2 5 too low 6 Active Directory Integration / LDAP Integration 4K+ · 4.9★ (211) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Next Active Directory Integration 2K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #18 ↓1 10 too low 9 Media Cloud Sync 1K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 WP Remote Users Sync 6K+ · 4.9★ (73) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 FlexTable – Data Table Sync with Google Sheets 3K+ · 4.6★ (35) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Photo Engine (Media Organizer & Lightroom) 2K+ · 4.9★ (210) wp.org #24 ↓1 12 too low 13 User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission 20K+ · 4.1★ (537) wp.org #17 ↓2 4 too low 14 Listdom: AI-powered Business Directory with Classifieds Ads Listings 1K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 Sync Post With Other Site 3K+ · 3.9★ (29) wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16 Employee Directory – Staff & Team Directory 100+ · 4.1★ (16) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 Product Sync for WooCommerce – Supplier API Import, Dropshipping & Inventory Sync 400+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #16 ↑3 1 too high 18 WP Multisite User Sync/Unsync 600+ · 4.2★ (18) wp.org #19 ↓3 1 too low 19 FlexStock – Product Stock Sync with Google Sheets for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.5★ (22) wp.org #22 ↓2 3 too low 20 Sync QCloud COS 500+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 ↓2 5 too high 21 CiviCRM Member Sync 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 ↓1 10 too high 22 CiviCRM Profile Sync 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #13 ↓1 9 too high 23 Sync Master Sheet – Product Sync with Google Sheet for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 MIPL Multistore Sync for WooCommerce. Sync Products, Stock and Orders. 200+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #20 ↓2 4 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.