wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “do action”
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 “do action”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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
Call To Action Customizable Block shows at wp.org #4 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 20 places. Its 1K+ 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
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 1281 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 A Action Scheduler 20K+ · 3.5★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343)
wp.org #6 3 too low 4 
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint
wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too low 5 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708)
wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too low 6 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too low 7 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #15 8 too low 8 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #16 ↓1 8 too low 9 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↑2 3 too low 10 
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current
wp.org #9 ↓2 1 too high 11 
WS Action Scheduler Cleaner 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #3 8 too high 12 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too low 13 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
Easy Actions Scheduler Cleaner 900+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #5 9 too high 15 
AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874)
wp.org #23 ↓2 8 too low 16 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #24 ↓1 8 too low 17 
Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1397)
wp.org #20 ↓4 3 too low 18 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #17 ↑2 1 too high 19 
Flexible Checkout Fields for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Checkout Manager 80K+ · 4.7★ (296)
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 
Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 1 too low 21 
Payment Plugins for Stripe WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.8★ (303) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↓2 2 too high 22 P Posts To-Do List 50+ · 4.7★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑1 14 too high 23 
WANotifier for Forms and Actions 900+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #13 10 too high 24 Call To Action Customizable Block 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #4 20 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.