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

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 “exhibition”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Bulk Variations for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #7 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce places #5 on merit, 4.0★ from 249 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) wp.org #1 2 Booking Activities 3K+ · 5.0★ (121) wp.org #2 3 Eventin – Events Calendar, Tickets, Registration, Booking & WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (413) wp.org #3 ↑1 4 Tickera – Sell Tickets & Manage Events 2K+ · 4.5★ (292) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249) wp.org #9 ↑1 4 too low 6 WPVR – 360 Panorama viewer and Virtual Tour Builder for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (133) wp.org #10 ↓2 4 too low 7 Bulk Images to Posts 1K+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 Panorama – Turn Photos into Immersive Virtual Tours 2K+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too high 10 Chatbot for WordPress by Collect.chat ⚡️ 6K+ · 4.4★ (38) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 ArtPlacer Widget 100+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #11 12 Bukza 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 13 B2B Product Catalog – No E-Commerce, Global RFQ & Bulk Quote 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 AI ChatBot for WordPress by AI BotKit – Live in 2 Minutes, No Code 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #16 2 too low 15 Ticketmeo – Sell Tickets – Event Ticketing 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 3 too low 16 Herodotus – On This Day 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 3 too low 17 Bulk Variations for WooCommerce 100+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #7 10 too high 18 Easy Map – Store Locator, OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Mapbox 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓1 3 too low 19 Private Comment 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 5 too high 20 Expo Booth Booking 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Tainacan Extra View Modes 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 Advanced Panorama 360 Viewer 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 MV Form Usage Finder for Contact Form 7 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 Image Map Connect – Display Posts as Image Hotspots 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.