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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “fast exit”

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 “fast exit”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

Fast Events shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 30+ 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

Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 167 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 MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 Hustle – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Optins, Popups 80K+ · 4.4★ (859) wp.org #6 ↑2 4 too low 3 Safety Exit 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Website Pop-up Builder by BDOW! (formerly Sumo): Pop-ups + forms for email opt-ins and lead generation 10K+ · 4.2★ (519) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 HollerBox — Fast & Effective Popups & Lead-Generation 2K+ · 4.8★ (32) wp.org #5 ↑1 6 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #12 ↑2 6 too low 7 Brave – Create Popup, Optins, Lead Generation, Survey, Sticky Elements & Interactive Content 20K+ · 4.8★ (209) wp.org #13 ↓1 6 too low 8 Tidio – Live Chat & AI Chatbots 70K+ · 4.8★ (395) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Poptics – Popup Builder, Email Opt-ins, Exit-Intent & WooCommerce Popups Sales 1K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too high 10 Spexo Addons for Elementor – Elementor Widgets, Mega Menu, Popup Builder, Template Kits and Starter Templates for Elementor 6K+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #4 6 too high 11 Icegram Engage – Popups, Welcome Bars, Optins, Slide-Ins & Lead Generation for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (370) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39) wp.org #19 ↓2 7 too low 13 Visual Composer Website Builder 30K+ · 4.6★ (220) wp.org #24 ↓6 11 too low 14 Simple Exit Notifier 100+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #2 12 too high 15 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #20 ↓1 5 too low 16 Unbloater 5K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too high 17 Popup builder with Gamification, Multi-Step Popups, Page-Level Targeting, and WooCommerce Triggers 70K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 PopupAlly 2K+ · 4.1★ (76) wp.org #21 ↓5 3 too low 19 Advanced Floating Content Lite 7K+ · 4.1★ (30) wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 WPB Popup for Contact Form 7 – Showing Contact Form 7 Popup on Button Click 5K+ · 4.6★ (16) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 Convertful – Your Ultimate On-Site Conversion Tool 3K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #23 ↓3 2 too low 22 Fast Events 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 ↑2 15 too high 23 Safety Exit Button – Quick Exit 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Notifal – AI Popup Builder & CRO Engine: Sales Notifications, Social Proof & Exit Intent Popups 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 6 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.