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

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 “dropping”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 4 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

FormFacade – Embed Google Forms in your website shows at wp.org #9 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 297 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296) wp.org #1 2 Beaver Builder Page Builder – Drag and Drop Website Builder 100K+ · 4.7★ (394) wp.org #2 3 Editorial Calendar 20K+ · 4.9★ (79) wp.org #3 4 Media Library Folders 10K+ · 4.3★ (465) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187) wp.org #5 6 Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Index WP MySQL For Speed 50K+ · 4.8★ (99) wp.org #7 ↑2 8 WP-DBManager 50K+ · 4.4★ (95) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 MultiVendorX – WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace AI Powered Solutions 2K+ · 4.8★ (432) wp.org #11 ↑2 2 too low 10 Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager 100K+ · 4.8★ (297) wp.org #14 ↓3 4 too low 11 Assistant – Every Day Productivity Apps 4K+ · 4.9★ (15) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too high 12 Cimo – Free Instant Image Optimizer & WebP Converter 10K+ · 4.9★ (20) wp.org #12 13 HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) wp.org #19 ↑1 6 too low 14 Lucky Orange 2K+ · 4.3★ (24) wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too high 15 Survey Maker by AYS 5K+ · 4.8★ (79) wp.org #24 ↓3 9 too low 16 SureContact – Newsletters, Email Marketing, Automation, Revenue Tracking & CRM 10K+ · 4.8★ (21) wp.org #21 ↑1 5 too low 17 EU Cookies Bar for WordPress 9K+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #22 ↑1 5 too low 18 Responsive Slider Gallery – Responsive Image Photo Slider 2K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #15 3 too high 19 FormFacade – Embed Google Forms in your website 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 ↓1 10 too high 20 WP Click to Chat – Email, Live Chat, Call & Book Now Buttons 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Email Addon for Contact Form 7 3K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #23 ↑1 2 too low 22 Ibtana – Ecommerce Product Addons 5K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #16 6 too high 23 WPC Product Tabs for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 Drag & Drop Menu Items 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 7 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.