wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “email access”
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 “email access”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Email Customizer for WooCommerce | Drag and Drop Email Templates Builder shows at wp.org #14 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 9K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 44 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 2143 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435) heavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
Check & Log Email – Easy Email Testing & Mail logging 90K+ · 4.8★ (292) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 3 
Kadence WooCommerce Email Designer 90K+ · 4.5★ (142)
wp.org #3 4 
Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 5 
Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701)
wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 
Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 10K+ · 4.6★ (297)
wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 
Email Subscribers & Newsletters by Icegram Express – Email Marketing, Post Notifications & WooCommerce Marekting Automation for WordPress 50K+ · 4.6★ (1170) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 9 
Email Log 80K+ · 4.2★ (43)
wp.org #5 4 too high 10 
Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #7 3 too high 11 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #18 ↓2 7 too low 12 
Remove Dashboard Access 30K+ · 4.6★ (78)
wp.org #11 1 too high 13 
Email Marketing for WooCommerce by Omnisend 40K+ · 4.9★ (169)
wp.org #15 ↑3 2 too low 14 
Hustle – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Optins, Popups 80K+ · 4.4★ (859)
wp.org #19 5 too low 15 
Cart Abandonment Recovery for WooCommerce – Recover Lost Sales with Automated Emails 300K+ · 4.8★ (625) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↑2 3 too high 16 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #22 ↑2 6 too low 17 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 
WebToffee eCommerce Marketing Automation – Email marketing, Popups, Email customizer 10K+ · 4.8★ (54) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 ↓1 5 too high 19 
Send Users Email – Email Subscribers, Email Marketing Newsletter 5K+ · 4.5★ (28)
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 
Prevent Files / Folders Access 1K+ · 4.6★ (35)
wp.org #20 ↑1 21 
Simple Page Access Restriction 6K+ · 4.9★ (32)
wp.org #21 ↑1 22 
Contact Form Email 8K+ · 4.3★ (102) not PHP-current
wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Email Customizer for WooCommerce | Drag and Drop Email Templates Builder 9K+ · 4.3★ (44) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↓1 9 too high 24 
Two Factor (2FA) Authentication via Email 9K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
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.