wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “emulator”
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 “emulator”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 18. 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
AMG Labs DOS Apps shows at wp.org #4 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its — 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
Page Builder by SiteOrigin places #2 on merit, 4.8★ from 1005 reviews, but shows at wp.org #6. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
AppMySite – WordPress & WooCommerce Mobile App Builder (No-Code Android & iOS App Maker) 7K+ · 4.3★ (138) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005)
wp.org #6 4 too low 3 
Quttera ThreatSign – Web Malware Scanner for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (47) not PHP-current
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 
Secure Gateway for Authorize.net and WooCommerce by Pledged Plugins 10K+ · 4.9★ (34) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
BlockBots – Anti-Bot, Stop Fake Traffic, Prevent Click Fraud & Scraping — · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too high 6 
Code Block – share beautiful code snippets readers can copy 200+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #2 ↑1 4 too high 7 
Retro Game Emulator 200+ · 4.5★ (4) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 E EsAudioPlayer 200+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 6 too low 9 
YourGPT Chatbot – AI chatbot, AI helpdesk, AI Automation and more 30+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 N NoDoss — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #5 5 too high 11 AMG Labs DOS Apps — · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #4 7 too high 12 
Progressive Web Apps 10+ · 4.5★ (4) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 3 too low 13 
ZoofiAI – Connect Your Site with ChatGPT, Claude & Any AI Agent via MCP 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
HiDPI Gravatars 40+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
MiPS Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 100+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #10 5 too high 16 
Wp Site portfolio 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 3 too high 17 M MTS 2 – Mobile Theme Switcher 2 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 1 too low 18 
PWACommerce – WooCommerce Mobile Plugin for Progressive Web Apps & Hybrid Mobile Apps 10+ · 3.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 2 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.