wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “exam software”

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 “exam software”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 0 of the top 16. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Personal Dictionary – Vocabulary Games, Memory Games 70+ · 4.8★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #2 1 too low 2

Toolkit for LearnDash LMS – Quiz Themes, Analytics & Answer Control 80+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #1 1 too high 3

AEC Kiosque 70+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 4

SkooliPress – School Management System 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #4 5

GameEngine – Gamification, Points, Badges & Leaderboards 30+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #5 ↑1 6

Classynt Schools — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↓1 7 S Saksh private IELTS preparation 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 8

PingUp AI+ | AI Chatbot & AI Agent — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #8 9

Rooster LMS — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #9 10 L Likert Survey Master 50+ · 3.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11

MentorKit LMS: SCORM Courses, Quizzes, Group Management & Certificates — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓1 12

Tip My Work – HostJane Payments — · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13

EmbedQuiz — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓1 14

Jimmy Codeviewer — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too low 15

Embedded learning videos and practice material by TEST4U 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓1 16 W Watu to MailChimp 10+ · 3.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 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.