Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “estimation form”

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 “estimation form”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 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

Cost Calculator & Cost Estimation shows at wp.org #2 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 100+ 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

Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 142 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 Zigaform – Price Calculator & Cost Estimation Form Builder Lite 100+ · 4.6★ (23) wp.org #1 2 Cost Calculator Builder 20K+ · 4.5★ (393) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 NEX-Forms – Ultimate Forms Plugin for WordPress 5K+ · 4.1★ (135) wp.org #3 4 WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Stylish Cost Calculator – Quote Generator, Lead Gen & Price Estimator 1K+ · 4.8★ (175) wp.org #10 ↓2 5 too low 6 Survey Maker by AYS 5K+ · 4.8★ (79) wp.org #13 ↓4 7 too low 7 Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142) wp.org #18 ↓3 11 too low 8 Quill Forms | Conversational Multi Step Forms, Surveys & quizzes 3K+ · 4.8★ (44) wp.org #8 ↓2 9 E-cab Taxi Booking Manager for Woocommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #11 ↓1 2 too low 10 Cost Calculator & Cost Estimation 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 8 too high 11 Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #17 ↓3 6 too low 12 Cost Calculator for Contact Form 7 – Price Calculator Free 5K+ · 3.8★ (15) wp.org #5 7 too high 13 AForms — Form Builder for Price Calculator & Cost Estimation 3K+ · 4.8★ (8) wp.org #7 ↓2 6 too high 14 Freight Integration for Woocommerce to Profrakt and Logistra by WildRobot 200+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 PrimeKit Addons and Templates 70+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #21 ↓2 6 too low 16 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Form Themes 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓2 7 too high 17 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Digital Signatures 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too high 18 LATW Multilingual 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 6 too low 19 ImmoWP Estimation 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too high 20 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Zapier Integration 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓3 1 too high 21 AgeWallet – Age Verification & Age Estimation for WordPress & WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑2 5 too high 22 ConvertCalculator: Build Cost, Price, Quotation, ROI Interactive Calculators 700+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 CI Calorie Calculator 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓2 1 too high 24 PrintPrice: STL & 3MF Price Calculator for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 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.