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

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 “disability”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

Bullhorn Career Portal WordPress Plugin shows at wp.org #18 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.5★ from 449 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #1 2 My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #2 3 Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by MetaSlider – Image Slider, Video Slider 500K+ · 4.6★ (742) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 AccessiYes Accessibility Widget for ADA, EAA & WCAG Readiness 20K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 WP Accessibility Helper (WAH) 10K+ · 4.7★ (57) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Simply Schedule Appointments 50K+ · 5.0★ (155) wp.org #9 ↑4 3 too low 7 Button visually impaired 10K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #7 8 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #13 ↓4 5 too low 9 wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker – WCAG, ADA, EAA and Section 508 compliance 10K+ · 4.9★ (80) wp.org #10 11 Web Accessibility by accessiBe 10K+ · 4.1★ (32) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 Accessibility New Window Warnings 1K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #14 ↑3 2 too low 13 Accessibility Tool Kit: WP Accessibility checker plugin for WCAG, Section 508, ADA, EAA Compliance 1K+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Accessibility by AllAccessible 2K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Simple Accessibility Button 900+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #15 ↑3 16 DJ-Accessibility – Accessibility Plugin 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 WP Spell Check 2K+ · 2.9★ (39) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Lang Attribute for the Block Editor 90+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓1 6 too low 19 Accessibility Enabler 300+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Tax Exemption for WooCommerce 700+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 Open Accessibility 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓3 4 too high 22 EDigital Accessibility Tools and Statement 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 1 too low 23 DockAccess Accessibility Widget 300+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Bullhorn Career Portal WordPress Plugin 1K+ · 2.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓3 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.