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

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 tags”, 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

Code and Core Remove Empty P Tags shows at wp.org #6 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 50+ 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

Translate WordPress with GTranslate places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 4962 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 signals wp.org

GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #1 2

Social Preview and Open Graph Tags 50K+ · 4.6★ (122) wp.org #2 3

Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #4 1 too low 4

PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #5 1 too low 5

Meta Tag Manager 70K+ · 4.8★ (84) wp.org #7 2 too low 6

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #11 5 too low 7

All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #16 9 too low 8

LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #17 9 too low 9

Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #21 12 too low 10

Blog Filter – Post Grid Filter by Category or Tag 7K+ · 4.9★ (81) wp.org #12 2 too low 11

Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #14 3 too low 12

Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #18 6 too low 13

The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #23 10 too low 14

SureRank SEO – Meta Tags, Social Preview, XML Sitemap, Schema & Open Graph 300K+ · 4.8★ (51) wp.org #13 1 too high 15

Empty P Tag 700+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #3 12 too high 16

Infinity23 (Formerly Tag Manager) – One Plugin That Replaces All The Rest 20K+ · 4.7★ (53) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89) wp.org #24 7 too low 18

Custom Empty Price for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.8★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #8 10 too high 19

Metronet Tag Manager 20K+ · 4.8★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #10 9 too high 20

Proxy Cache Purge 50K+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #22 2 too low 21

Code and Core Remove Empty P Tags 50+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 15 too high 22

Add LinkedIn Insight Tag for LinkedIn Ads 4K+ · 3.3★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #9 13 too high 23 E Empty Tags Remover 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #15 8 too high 24

Remove Empty Shortcodes 10+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #19 5 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.