wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “ethiopia”
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 “ethiopia”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 16. 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
Ethiopian Calendar shows at wp.org #3 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10+ 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
MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps places #3 on merit, 4.4★ from 65 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Disabled Source, Disabled Right Click and Content Protection 10K+ · 4.9★ (103)
wp.org #4 ↑1 3 too low 2 
PayLexer – Payment Integration Solution for WordPress (Stripe, PayPal, Paystack, and more) 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps 30K+ · 4.4★ (65)
wp.org #9 ↓1 6 too low 4 
Flag Icons 3K+ · 4.9★ (20) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5 
Exchange Rates 800+ · 4.2★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓1 5 too low 6 
Brilliant Web-to-Lead for Salesforce 2K+ · 4.4★ (38) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk
wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too low 7 
AfriRegions City & Neighborhood for WooCommerce 30+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #2 5 too high 8 
Fosia Pay Lite – PawaPay Mobile Money for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 G Geo Targeted Posts 20+ · 5.0★ (4) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too low 10 Ethiopian Calendar 10+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #3 7 too high 11 
Teamgate CRM Forms for WordPress 20+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #6 ↓2 5 too high 12 
FX Currency Converter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 P Product Sheet Importer for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14 
TrackingMore Order Tracking for WooCommerce (Free plan available) 700+ · 4.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #7 ↓1 7 too high 15 A AddisMap Elementor Element 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 16 I icon4menu 100+ · 5.0★ (1) not PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 3 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.