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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “easy flexslider”

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 “easy flexslider”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 5 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

Inventory Presser – Car Dealer Listings shows at wp.org #10 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 200+ 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

Vimeography: Vimeo Video Gallery WordPress Plugin places #7 on merit, 4.5★ from 122 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 Arconix Shortcodes 3K+ · 4.6★ (24) wp.org #1 2 BNE Testimonials 1K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Arconix FAQ 6K+ · 4.7★ (79) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP Image Zoom 10K+ · 4.3★ (119) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Weaver Show Sliders 900+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 WP Compress – Instant Performance & Speed Optimization 9K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Vimeography: Vimeo Video Gallery WordPress Plugin 5K+ · 4.5★ (122) wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too low 8 Additional Variation Images Gallery for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.6★ (162) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too low 9 Organic Builder Widgets – Simple WordPress Page Builder 3K+ · 4.8★ (85) wp.org #14 ↑1 5 too low 10 Dessky Responsive Slider 70+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 APL Quick View — · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #13 ↑1 2 too low 12 WP ADA Compliance Check Basic 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 Uix Shortcodes 300+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 W weGallery 50+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #19 ↑1 5 too low 15 Arconix Portfolio 60+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too low 16 Inventory Presser – Car Dealer Listings 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↑1 6 too high 17 WP Flexslider 600+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too high 18 R ReFlex Gallery » WordPress Photo Gallery 100+ · 2.9★ (9) wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too high 19 E Easy Gallery Slider 70+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20 T TC flexslider 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too low 21 Arconix Testimonials 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too high 22 O Origo WP Slider — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 E Easy Flexslider 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 Client and Product Testimonials 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24

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.