Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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

WPS Child Theme Generator shows at wp.org #8 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Molongui Authorship – Author Boxes, Guest Authors & Co-Authors for WordPress places #6 on merit, 4.7★ from 158 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111) wp.org #1 2 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #2 3 WPS Limit Login 100K+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #3 4 WPS Cleaner 10K+ · 4.3★ (99) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 WPS Bidouille 9K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Molongui Authorship – Author Boxes, Guest Authors & Co-Authors for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (158) wp.org #19 ↓2 13 too low 7 OGEEAT 200+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 WPS Menu Exporter 10K+ · 3.7★ (44) wp.org #13 5 too low 9 Login Armor 600+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #9 10 VOD Infomaniak 20K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 F FeedWordPress 8K+ · 4.2★ (61) wp.org #18 ↑1 7 too low 12 WPS Notice Center 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 Location Pack for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 Securicheck – Audit et Sécurité WordPress 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Paiement par Carte DAHABIA et Carte CIB for WooCommerce 80+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Administrator Z 300+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 Icon Element – Icon Pack for Elementor Page Builder (6718 icons) 40K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 WPS Child Theme Generator 6K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 10 too high 19 SmartAgenda – Prise de rendez-vous en ligne 300+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too high 20 Checklist Opquast Qualité Web 100+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #24 4 too low 21 HelloAsso 4K+ · 3.6★ (5) wp.org #14 7 too high 22 CDI – Collect and Deliver Interface for Woocommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #16 6 too high 23 HelloAsso Payments for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Responsive Tabs For Elementor 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 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.