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

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 “elasticsearch”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

WPEnhanced Ajax Filter Blocks shows at wp.org #7 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 10+ 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

Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth places #4 on merit, 3.7★ from 2407 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 ElasticPress 8K+ · 4.2★ (30) wp.org #1 2 R REST API Log 5K+ · 3.6★ (24) wp.org #2 3 WP Fast Total Search – The Power of Indexed Search 1K+ · 4.4★ (28) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth 3M+ · 3.7★ (2407) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 ElasticPress Debugging Add-On 800+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 MailArchiver 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Showcase IDX Real Estate Search & Lead Capture 2K+ · 3.8★ (35) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Popular Brand Icons – Simple Icons 3K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #17 9 too low 9 WPSOLR — Search & Recommendations for WooCommerce Agencies 30+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 WolkTools Dry Run Importer — · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Swiftype Site Search Plugin for WordPress 400+ · 3.7★ (24) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 AI Search for WooCommerce – Semantic Search & Live-Search Block 70+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 WPEnhanced Ajax Filter Blocks 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 6 too high 14 Swayam AI Chatbot — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 RediSearch 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 Coywolf Search — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 ElasticProbe — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 5 too high 18 Perfbase — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 S Scolta AI Search — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 5 too high 20 Wallet Up Login Customizer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Releva.ai Integration — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Intuitina AI Chatbot: Live WordPress Content Connector — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 SimpleSocial 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 Wow FullText Search 10+ · 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.