wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “featured slider”
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 “featured slider”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 4 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
Serious Slider shows at wp.org #11 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.4★ average from 8 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Slider by Soliloquy – Responsive Image Slider for WordPress places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 1025 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by MetaSlider – Image Slider, Video Slider 500K+ · 4.6★ (743)
wp.org #1 2 
Smart Slider 3 800K+ · 4.9★ (1125)
wp.org #2 3 
Featured Image from URL (FIFU) 60K+ · 4.6★ (264)
wp.org #3 4 
Ultimate Responsive Image Slider 30K+ · 4.5★ (248)
wp.org #5 ↑3 1 too low 5 
Prime Slider – Hero Slider, Carousel, WooCommerce & Post Slider Elementor Addons 100K+ · 4.5★ (82)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Product Slider, Product Carousel and Product Grid Gallery for WooCommerce – Reno Product Slider (formerly Product Slider for WooCommerce) 20K+ · 4.7★ (280) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7 
Carousel Slider 30K+ · 4.3★ (160) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 
Post Slider and Post Carousel with Post Vertical Scrolling Widget – A Responsive Post Slider 10K+ · 4.7★ (31)
wp.org #8 ↓1 9 
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ · 4.3★ (4342) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #14 ↓3 5 too low 10 Slider by Soliloquy – Responsive Image Slider for WordPress 30K+ · 4.7★ (1025)
wp.org #22 12 too low 11 
Product Category Slider & Grid for WooCommerce – Reno Product Category 9K+ · 4.8★ (91) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
Product Gallery Slider, Additional Variation Images, Product Video, Product Image Zoom and Lightbox for WooCommerce – Reno Product Gallery (formerly WooGallery) 20K+ · 4.9★ (162) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↑1 13 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #20 7 too low 14 
Super block slider – Image/video background & content slider 8K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #9 5 too high 15 
Product Slider, Product Grid, Product Masonry 9K+ · 4.3★ (86)
wp.org #15 16 
Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
GutSlider – All in One Slider and Carousel Blocks for Gutenberg 6K+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too high 18 
Really Simple Featured Video for Posts, Pages & WooCommerce Products 4K+ · 4.0★ (34)
wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too low 19 
Accordion Slider 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑1 6 too high 20 
Media Slider for Photos Images Videos 2K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #23 3 too low 21 
Free WooCommerce Products Slider/Carousel Pro 2K+ · 4.7★ (17) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too high 22 
Slider, Image Slider & Carousel by Slider Factory – Responsive Slideshow, Video Slider 2K+ · 4.5★ (13) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Serious Slider 20K+ · 3.4★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑1 12 too high 24 
Gallery with thumbnail slider 3K+ · 3.8★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #21 3 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.