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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “envato license”

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 “envato license”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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

wpsection shows at wp.org #8 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 3K+ 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

Maps Widget for Google Maps places #7 on merit, 4.6★ from 512 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Rollback – Rollback Plugins and Themes 300K+ · 4.9★ (215) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Classified Listing – AI-Powered Classified ads & Business Directory 9K+ · 4.8★ (138) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 WPZOOM Connect: AI Chat, Click to Chat, Social Icons & Share Buttons 90K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 ManageWP Worker 1M+ · 4.6★ (679) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 License For Envato 9K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 4 too high 6 B2BKing — Ultimate WooCommerce B2B and Wholesale Plugin — Wholesale Prices, Bulk Order Form & More 10K+ · 4.9★ (107) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Maps Widget for Google Maps 30K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #18 11 too low 8 Content Pilot – Autoblogging & Affiliate Marketing Suite 800+ · 3.6★ (36) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 MarketKing — Ultimate WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace Solution 700+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Visual CSS Style Editor 30K+ · 4.1★ (90) wp.org #16 6 too low 11 StockPack – Stock photos and AI images from Unsplash, Adobe Stock, Freepik and more 7K+ · 4.4★ (24) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Elite Notification – Sales Popup, Social Proof, FOMO Notification for WooCommerce 30+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Elite Licenser addon-lite for WooCommerce 100+ · 3.0★ (4) wp.org #5 8 too high 14 GutenDraw – Visualize Ideas with Excalidraw 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Multi Location Product & Inventory Management for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Appsero Helper 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 wpsection 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 League Table – WordPress Table Plugin 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Selection Lite 9K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Custom Attributes Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 Elite Licenser addon for Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 SignalKit — Google News Publisher Banners, Lead Generation & Engagement — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Template Kit – Export 8K+ · 2.5★ (4) wp.org #17 6 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.