wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “empty post”

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 “empty post”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Empty P Tag shows at wp.org #7 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 700+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 187 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #1 2

Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #2 3

Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236) wp.org #3 ↑1 4

Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #4 ↓1 5

Duplicate Post 300K+ · 4.9★ (1623) wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too low 6

Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71) wp.org #6 ↓1 7

AnWP Post Grid and Post Carousel Slider for Elementor 20K+ · 4.9★ (84) wp.org #9 2 too low 8

Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint wp.org #13 ↓3 5 too low 9

Revive Social – Social Media Auto Post and Scheduling Automation Plugin 20K+ · 4.0★ (556) wp.org #15 ↓3 6 too low 10

W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94) wp.org #12 ↓3 2 too low 11

Post and Page Builder by BoldGrid – Visual Drag and Drop Editor 50K+ · 4.7★ (140) wp.org #17 ↓2 6 too low 12

Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187) wp.org #19 ↑2 7 too low 13

Duplicate Post – duplicate pages, copy content, clone posts 5K+ · 4.7★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #5 8 too high 14

MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies 10K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓3 4 too high 16

Latest Post Shortcode 4K+ · 4.8★ (46) wp.org #20 ↓3 4 too low 17

Post Type Transfer 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #10 ↑6 7 too high 18

Post Types Unlimited 10K+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓3 4 too high 19

Australia Post WooCommerce Extension 3K+ · 4.4★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20

Post Pay Counter 1K+ · 4.8★ (46) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #22 ↓2 2 too low 21

Empty P Tag 700+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #7 14 too high 22

Event Post 1K+ · 4.3★ (35) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23

Ultimate Post List 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓1 24

Easy Post Submission – Frontend Posting, Guest Publishing & Submit Content for WordPress 4K+ · 4.5★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓10

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.