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

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 “dispatch”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 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

WP Consent API shows at wp.org #7 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 200K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Frontend Admin – Display WP Admin Pages in the Frontend places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 54 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (195) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 WebToffee WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Packing Slips, Delivery Notes & Shipping Labels 50K+ · 4.9★ (285) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 WP Swiper 4K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #3 4 AcyMailing – An Ultimate Newsletter Plugin and Marketing Automation Solution for WordPress 5K+ · 4.8★ (157) wp.org #8 ↑1 4 too low 5 PDF Invoices and Packing Slips For WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #9 ↑1 4 too low 6 GoSMTP – SMTP for WordPress 500K+ · 4.3★ (10) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 E-cab Taxi Booking Manager for Woocommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #19 ↑2 12 too low 8 WC Cancel Order 5K+ · 4.9★ (23) wp.org #13 ↑3 5 too low 9 WPC Estimated Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.0★ (9) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Simple SMTP 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too low 11 WP Frontend Admin – Display WP Admin Pages in the Frontend 400+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #21 ↑1 10 too low 12 Shipday Local Delivery for WooCommerce 700+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 Tax Switch for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (27) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 QuickShipD – Estimated Delivery Date for WooCommerce 40+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #20 ↓1 6 too low 15 Vanquish Shipping Tracking – Order Tracking & Carrier Links for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #22 ↓8 7 too low 16 Estimated Delivery Date Per Product For WooCommerce 100+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too high 17 Elállás Kezelő for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↑1 7 too high 18 WP Consent API 200K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 11 too high 19 morkva Product Review Reminder for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Signals Dispatch for WooCommerce 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 9 too high 21 Print Management with Biblio Dispatch 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑4 7 too high 22 TaxiWebBooker 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↑2 7 too high 23 AI Marketing Expert — AI Email Marketing, AI Content Generator, SEO Analyzer, AI Workflow Automation, Social Media & Ai Chatbot 2K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 Experience API for LearnPress by GrassBlade 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑2 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.