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

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 “factory”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 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 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

Factory Reset shows at wp.org #3 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 20+ 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

Affiliates places #5 on merit, 4.5★ from 137 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 WC Fields Factory 7K+ · 4.3★ (168) wp.org #1 2 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071) wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too low 3 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #8 ↓1 5 too low 4 Slider, Image Slider & Carousel by Slider Factory – Responsive Slideshow, Video Slider 2K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Affiliates 2K+ · 4.5★ (137) wp.org #12 7 too low 6 Tangible: Loops & Logic 2K+ · 4.9★ (39) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 Datafeedr WooCommerce Importer 4K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 Admin Custom Font 900+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too high 9 Coming Soon Maintenance Mode 6K+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too high 10 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too low 11 Factory Reset 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 8 too high 12 JennyStudio GEO Factory 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 ↑5 8 too high 13 Unnotifier — disable admin notices individually 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #13 ↑1 14 ShareToSocial – Social Media Share Buttons & Sharing Icons 100+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #20 ↑1 6 too low 15 Database Reset Pro – Clean & Reset WordPress Database 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↓2 6 too low 16 DevPress Factory for Elementor – Video Carousel Popup 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓1 7 too high 17 Scry Search: Meilisearch for WordPress 40+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 6 too low 18 Admin Posts Navigation 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Cache control by Cacholong 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↑1 4 too high 20 Merch Factory for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too high 21 Selfnamed: Private Label Cosmetics for WooCommerce 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 Resetify – Advanced Reset & Database Cleaner 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 WP-HR Manager: The Human Resources Plugin for WordPress 200+ · 2.0★ (5) wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 Awin Publisher MasterTag 1K+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓2 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.