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

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 “dollar”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Exchange Rates Widget shows at wp.org #9 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 1K+ 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

PDF Builder for WooCommerce. Create invoices,packing slips and more places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 145 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #1 2 Mercado Pago payments for WooCommerce 100K+ · 3.9★ (693) wp.org #2 3 Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder 600K+ · 4.9★ (4514) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too low 4 GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) wp.org #8 ↓4 4 too low 5 Flexible SSL for CloudFlare 100K+ · 4.8★ (51) wp.org #5 6 Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #10 ↑3 4 too low 7 Booking Package 10K+ · 4.0★ (15) wp.org #3 ↑11 4 too high 8 Insert Special Characters 3K+ · 4.9★ (8) wp.org #4 ↑2 4 too high 9 PDF Builder for WooCommerce. Create invoices,packing slips and more 2K+ · 4.7★ (145) wp.org #18 ↓2 9 too low 10 Progress Bar 1K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 MyCryptoCheckout – Bitcoin, Ethereum, and 100+ altcoins for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.3★ (49) wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too low 12 All Currencies for WooCommerce 900+ · 3.8★ (9) wp.org #6 ↑1 6 too high 13 ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 200K+ · 2.5★ (1546) wp.org #20 ↓1 7 too low 14 NOWPayments for WooCommerce – Crypto Payment Gateway 3K+ · 4.1★ (16) wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 B Blue Captcha 400+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 Payment Gateway Currency for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Euro FxRef Currency Converter (by DKZR) 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 CryptAPI Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 400+ · 3.7★ (9) wp.org #14 ↓3 4 too high 19 Mortgage Calculator 1K+ · 3.9★ (13) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Exchange Rates Widget 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 11 too high 21 AURPAY WooCommerce – Bitcoin/USDT Crypto Payment Gateway 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 ↑2 2 too high 22 WooCommerce Shipping 70K+ · 2.0★ (18) wp.org #12 ↓9 10 too high 23 The 9 Dollar Menu Valet 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too high 24 Small Package Quotes – Worldwide Express Edition 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.