wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “exporting”
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 “exporting”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
Export Single Post Page shows at wp.org #12 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 3055 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #1 2 
Advanced Editor Tools 1M+ · 4.5★ (354)
wp.org #2 3 
Docket Cache – Object Cache Accelerator 20K+ · 4.9★ (50)
wp.org #3 ↑4 4 
Customizer Export/Import 100K+ · 4.8★ (115)
wp.org #4 ↓1 5 
Widget Importer & Exporter 200K+ · 4.7★ (117)
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 
Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167)
wp.org #6 7 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too low 8 
GravityExport Lite for Gravity Forms 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too high 9 
Appointment Hour Booking – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (524)
wp.org #14 ↑3 5 too low 10 
Product Import Export for WooCommerce – CSV Product Importer & Exporter 80K+ · 4.6★ (413) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 2 too high 11 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) not PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓7 6 too low 12 
Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms 60K+ · 4.8★ (124)
wp.org #16 4 too low 13 
WP Import Export Lite 40K+ · 4.0★ (113)
wp.org #13 ↑1 14 
Controlled Admin Access 10K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #18 4 too low 15 
WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 16 
Export WordPress Pages to Static HTML & PDF — Static Site Export 4K+ · 3.8★ (51) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↑1 5 too high 17 
Import Users from CSV 10K+ · 4.1★ (44)
wp.org #22 ↓1 5 too low 18 
Export Without Shortcodes: convert to pure HTML the exported content 100+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #9 9 too high 19 
UiChemy – Convert Figma, Prompts and AI Builds to Elementor, Gutenberg and Bricks 8K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #24 5 too low 20 
Tainacan 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) heavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #20 21 
MyParcel 8K+ · 3.9★ (48) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 2 too high 22 Export Single Post Page 3K+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↑1 10 too high 23 
Simple Table Manager 400+ · 4.8★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑2 2 too high 24 
Magic Export & Import 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 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.