Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “fact”, 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

Random Christmas Fact Widget shows at wp.org #2 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 22 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 2215 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #1 2 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #6 ↑2 4 too low 3 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #5 ↑4 2 too low 4 Cooked – Recipe Management 3K+ · 3.9★ (90) wp.org #4 ↓2 5 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #11 6 too low 6 Reveal IDs 40K+ · 5.0★ (61) wp.org #7 ↓3 1 too low 7 Starter Templates: AI-Powered Website Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 1M+ · 4.9★ (4755) wp.org #12 ↓2 5 too low 8 WP Recipe Maker 50K+ · 5.0★ (356) wp.org #10 ↓5 2 too low 9 Page scroll to id 100K+ · 4.9★ (225) wp.org #9 ↓2 10 WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software 20K+ · 4.9★ (594) wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too low 11 Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215) wp.org #18 7 too low 12 Rublon Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) 400+ · 4.2★ (88) wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too low 13 Enable SVG, WebP, and ICO Upload 10K+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #8 ↓2 5 too high 14 Pinterest for WooCommerce 200K+ · 2.3★ (68) wp.org #3 11 too high 15 Two Factor Authentication 20K+ · 4.4★ (77) wp.org #19 ↓3 4 too low 16 Recipe Card Blocks Lite 10K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #16 ↓1 17 Redirection for Contact Form 7 200K+ · 4.7★ (275) wp.org #24 ↓3 7 too low 18 VikRentCar Car Rental Management System 4K+ · 4.8★ (30) wp.org #22 ↓3 4 too low 19 Create 6K+ · 4.3★ (25) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 VikBooking Hotel Booking Engine & PMS 8K+ · 4.8★ (61) wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too low 21 Anti-spam Reloaded 1K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #20 ↓3 1 too high 22 SEO Data Transporter 2K+ · 4.4★ (31) wp.org #23 ↓5 1 too low 23 YITH WooCommerce Quick View 80K+ · 3.8★ (27) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 Random Christmas Fact Widget 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 ↓1 22 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.