wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “failed orders”
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 “failed orders”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 6 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
Order Tracker for WooCommerce – Track Customer Order shows at wp.org #7 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #1 2 
Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce 100K+ · 5.0★ (350)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #5 2 too low 4 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 2 too high 5 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220)
wp.org #8 ↑2 3 too low 6 
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262) not PHP-current
wp.org #6 7 
Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528)
wp.org #11 ↓4 4 too low 8 
CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.9★ (538)
wp.org #15 ↓2 7 too low 9 
Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) not PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↑7 3 too low 10 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #18 8 too low 11 
Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↓1 7 too high 12 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #23 11 too low 13 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #19 ↑2 6 too low 14 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #24 10 too low 15 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #10 ↑5 5 too high 16 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #21 ↑1 5 too low 17 
PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓3 3 too low 18 
Email Templates Customizer and Designer for WordPress and WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (133)
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
EmailKit – Email Customizer for WooCommerce & WP 70K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓2 6 too high 20 
Order Tip for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓2 6 too high 21 
WC Cancel Order 5K+ · 4.9★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too high 22 
Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Order Tracker for WooCommerce – Track Customer Order 900+ · 4.3★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑2 16 too high 24 
Texty – SMS Notification for WordPress, WooCommerce, Dokan and more 7K+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 15 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.