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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “event logger”

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 “event logger”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 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

Comfort Email SMTP, Logger & Email Api shows at wp.org #5 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 30+ 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

Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 3220 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #3 4 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220) wp.org #12 ↑2 7 too low 6 Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807) wp.org #11 ↓1 5 too low 7 Advanced Cron Manager – debug & control 30K+ · 4.7★ (39) wp.org #7 ↓1 8 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #15 ↓2 7 too low 9 Titan Anti-spam & Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA & Spam Filter 50K+ · 4.5★ (370) wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too low 10 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #17 ↑3 7 too low 11 Venuera – Event Tickets for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #6 ↓1 5 too high 12 WP Logger 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 8 too high 13 Razorpay Payment Links for WooCommerce 900+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #16 2 too low 15 WPEPP – Essential Security, Password Protect & Login Page Customizer 3K+ · 4.1★ (19) wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too high 16 StoreEngine — Complete eCommerce Solution with Memberships, Licensing, Affiliates & More 700+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #19 ↑2 3 too low 17 Activity Log Pro – User Activity Log, Audit Log & Security Monitor 400+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 Comfort Email SMTP, Logger & Email Api 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 ↑3 13 too high 19 Activity Logs, User Activity Tracking, Multisite Activity Log from Logtivity 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 ↓3 2 too low 20 Payment Gateway with MPGS for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓1 21 Auto WebP Converter & Logger 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓1 8 too high 22 F FixReport – Maintenance Logger 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 ManicSoup Activity Log & Security Monitoring 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Eventilla Events 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 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.