wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “embedded posts”
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 “embedded posts”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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
Embedded Posts shows at wp.org #1 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) places #10 on merit, 5.0★ from 423 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Post Type Switcher 200K+ · 4.8★ (255)
wp.org #3 2 too low 2 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #5 ↑1 3 too low 3 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #7 ↑9 3 too low 5 
Post Grid 30K+ · 4.3★ (163)
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6 
Smash Balloon Social Post Feed – Simple Social Feeds for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (1511)
wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too low 7 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 
WP Eventbrite Embedded Checkout – Ticket Checkout Block, Popup & Elementor Widget 700+ · 4.8★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #2 6 too high 9 
EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307)
wp.org #14 5 too low 10 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #16 ↓3 6 too low 11 
Subscribe Forms – Beautiful Email Forms, Embedded Newsletter Forms & MailChimp Form 2K+ · 4.7★ (60)
wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 
WP RSS Aggregator – RSS Import, Feed to Post, Autoblogging, AI Content 40K+ · 4.5★ (565)
wp.org #17 ↓2 5 too low 13 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #19 6 too low 14 
Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120)
wp.org #15 1 too low 15 
Bulk Images to Posts 1K+ · 4.8★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 7 too high 16 
RSS Aggregator by Feedzy – Feed to Post, Autoblogging, News & YouTube Video Feeds Aggregator 40K+ · 4.6★ (361)
wp.org #23 ↓1 7 too low 17 Embedded Posts 50+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #1 16 too high 18 
Hide Page And Post Title 40K+ · 3.6★ (54)
wp.org #12 6 too high 19 
Prime Slider – Hero Slider, Carousel, WooCommerce & Post Slider Elementor Addons 100K+ · 4.5★ (82)
wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too low 20 
Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605)
wp.org #22 ↑1 2 too low 21 
Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓7 3 too low 22 
Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 
TraveledMap Trip itinerary: Embedded map 80+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓2 10 too high 24 
Init Embed Posts – Stylish, Fast, Portable 50+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓3 3 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.