Plugin Pulse
← Rankings

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

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 “downloader”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

BF Secret File Downloader shows at wp.org #6 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software places #2 on merit, 4.9★ from 593 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Media Library Downloader 5K+ · 4.8★ (8) wp.org #1 2 WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software 20K+ · 4.9★ (593) wp.org #12 10 too low 3 WP EXtra – One Click Optimize 6K+ · 4.9★ (41) wp.org #10 7 too low 4 Infinity23 (Formerly Tag Manager) – One Plugin That Replaces All The Rest 20K+ · 4.7★ (53) wp.org #13 9 too low 5 EZ Downloader – Plugin & Theme 60+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 WP Anything Downloader 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 KP Zip Downloader 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 Media Downloader 90+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Post Export Import with Media 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #17 8 too low 10 P Pixabay Media Downloader 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 Bible SuperSearch 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 BF Secret File Downloader 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 Theme & Extension Downloader 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Blogger Import Wizard – Blogger to WordPress Importer 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 15 Transfer Press – The Ultimate WordPress Plugin Zip Downloader, Activator 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 Nizbay Asset Downloader — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 17 PDF Zip Downloader for Gravity Forms 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 2 too high 18 Monster Downloader 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Travel Booking Toolkit 3K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 Downloadify WP 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Pure Demo Importer 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Database Backup Manager — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 M Madeep WP Connector 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 inPIPE by Seresa — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 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.