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

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

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Ovation Elements shows at wp.org #7 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Element Pack Addons for Elementor – MCP & AI-Ready Elementor Widgets, Elementor Templates, Elementor Addons places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 284 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #1 2 Shortcodes Ultimate – Content Elements 400K+ · 4.9★ (5925) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Addon Elements for Elementor (formerly Elementor Addon Elements) 80K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #4 5 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #5 6 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #12 ↓2 6 too low 7 All-in-one Sticky Floating Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, and 50+ Social Icon Tabs – My Sticky Elements 40K+ · 4.9★ (542) wp.org #17 ↑2 10 too low 8 Brave – Create Popup, Optins, Lead Generation, Survey, Sticky Elements & Interactive Content 20K+ · 4.8★ (209) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 Element Pack Addons for Elementor – MCP & AI-Ready Elementor Widgets, Elementor Templates, Elementor Addons 100K+ · 4.7★ (284) wp.org #21 12 too low 10 Elements Hive for Breakdance 1K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too low 11 Card Elements for Elementor 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Elements Plus! 6K+ · 4.8★ (23) wp.org #20 ↓4 8 too low 13 Hash Elements 5K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 Spider Elements – Premium Elementor Widgets & Addons Library 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 Fancy Elements for Avada 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Disable Elements for WPBakery Page Builder 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓2 8 too low 17 Ovation Elements 10K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #7 10 too high 18 Unlimited Elements Blocks Library 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 9 too high 19 Card Elements for WPBakery 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑1 9 too high 20 Elementor Post Grid – News, Magazine & Blog Builder – Ansar Elements 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↑1 3 too low 21 Generic Elements 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑1 8 too high 22 UiCore Elements – Free widgets and templates for Elementor 40K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↑1 3 too high 23 Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 7 too high 24 Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme 80K+ · 2.1★ (7) wp.org #22 ↑1 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.