wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “download plugin”
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 “download plugin”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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
Easy Media Download shows at wp.org #12 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 8K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 28 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 2470 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.
Download Monitor 80K+ · 4.5★ (525)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
Download Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (27)
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #4 ↑2 1 too low 4 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708)
wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 
Download Manager 100K+ · 4.1★ (1006)
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard 30K+ · 4.9★ (27)
wp.org #3 3 too high 7 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #10 3 too low 8 
Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158)
wp.org #7 ↑2 1 too high 9 
Easy Digital Downloads – eCommerce Payments and Subscriptions made easy 40K+ · 4.7★ (591)
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too high 11 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #15 ↑6 4 too low 12 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470)
wp.org #21 ↓3 9 too low 13 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #17 ↑2 4 too low 14 
Download Attachments 8K+ · 4.5★ (46)
wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too high 15 
File Manager Pro – Filester 100K+ · 4.9★ (155)
wp.org #20 5 too low 16 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↑1 17 
Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167)
wp.org #23 6 too low 18 
GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #18 ↓3 19 
Download After Email – Subscribe & Download Form Plugin 7K+ · 4.4★ (30)
wp.org #13 ↓1 6 too high 20 
Simple Download Counter 2K+ · 4.9★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #14 6 too high 21 Easy Media Download 8K+ · 4.0★ (28)
wp.org #12 ↑1 9 too high 22 
Free Downloads WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.7★ (85) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↓3 3 too high 23 
Plugin Groups 1K+ · 4.3★ (31) not PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 
Subscribe to Download Lite – Email Before Download Plugin 300+ · 3.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓2 2 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.