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

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 “ems”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 5 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

PagBank for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #2 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.6★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Bulk Delete places #8 on merit, 4.3★ from 129 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 PagBank / PagSeguro e Vindi para WooCommerce 3K+ · 5.0★ (64) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Correios Automático – Rastreio, Frete, Etiqueta, Declaração e Devolução 4K+ · 5.0★ (90) wp.org #3 ↓2 1 too low 3 WP Last Login 10K+ · 3.8★ (26) wp.org #4 ↑3 1 too low 4 Autocomplete Address for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Einsatzverwaltung 1K+ · 4.9★ (17) wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too low 6 Fixed Bottom Menu 4K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #6 ↓2 7 Virtuaria Correios – Frete, Etiqueta, Rastreio e Declaração 500+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Bulk Delete 30K+ · 4.3★ (129) wp.org #16 ↓2 8 too low 9 Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Pronamic Pay 2K+ · 4.8★ (84) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 PagBank for WooCommerce 4K+ · 3.6★ (7) wp.org #2 ↑1 9 too high 12 Advanced Product Labels for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.8★ (252) wp.org #18 ↓3 6 too low 13 Event Monster – Event Manager, Event Booking, Event Ticket & Registration 600+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 AutoCEP 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 ↓2 6 too high 15 Kubio AI Page Builder 80K+ · 4.4★ (79) wp.org #22 ↓4 7 too low 16 Nota Fiscal Eletrônica Webmania 300+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 Justify for Paragraph Block 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Payment Gateway – Mpesa for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too low 19 Accessibility Font Resizer 800+ · 4.0★ (13) wp.org #21 ↓2 2 too low 20 Moloni 2K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #15 ↓2 5 too high 21 SNORDIAN's H5PxAPIkatchu 500+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 Darven Preços Parcelados 200+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #23 ↓3 1 too low 23 Melhor Envio 10K+ · 2.2★ (59) wp.org #20 ↓12 3 too high 24 E Events Manager and WPML Compatibility 1K+ · 2.8★ (13) wp.org #17 ↓1 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.