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

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 “dms”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

CartLink Generator for WooCommerce — Direct Checkout & Share Cart Links shows at wp.org #16 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Social Ninja – Embed Social Feeds, User Reviews & Chat Widgets places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 71 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281) wp.org #1 ↑3 2 Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775) wp.org #2 3 Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 All-in-one Sticky Floating Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, and 50+ Social Icon Tabs – My Sticky Elements 40K+ · 4.9★ (542) wp.org #10 5 too low 6 D Dropdown Multisite Selector 900+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 WP Social Ninja – Embed Social Feeds, User Reviews & Chat Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (71) wp.org #13 ↑2 6 too low 8 PushEngage – Web Push Notifications, WooCommerce Automation & Chat Widget 8K+ · 4.3★ (37) wp.org #15 ↓1 7 too low 9 DMS Shortcode Module For Divi 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 ↓2 6 too high 10 Code Snippet DM 500+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 WP Document Revisions 2K+ · 3.7★ (23) wp.org #22 ↑1 11 too low 12 Ziina 2K+ · 3.8★ (4) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 Lead Generation Contact Widget & AI Chatbot: Chat Button, Phone Call, Telegram, Email – SiteLeads 10K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 S Slick Google Map 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓1 9 too low 15 DM Contact Form 7 DB 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 4 too high 16 CloudPayments Gateway for WooCommerce 500+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 LystoSync for eBay 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 Pronamic Domain Mapping 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓1 6 too high 19 URL Coupons for WooCommerce 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 DMS Gallery Image Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 MainWP Post SMTP Extension – Easily Manage WP SMTP Setup for All Sites in One Place 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 Automotive Inventory Importer – Sync Car Dealer Feeds 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 CartLink Generator for WooCommerce — Direct Checkout & Share Cart Links 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 7 too high 24 Sawir Referral – Refer a Friend for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24

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.