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

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 “filetypes”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 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

WP FOFT Loader shows at wp.org #8 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

SiteGround Migrator places #9 on merit, 4.3★ from 403 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 m1.DownloadList 400+ · 4.7★ (21) wp.org #1 2 Media Library Organizer – Folders, File Manager & Media Categories 20K+ · 4.7★ (150) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Lord of the Files: Enhanced Upload Security 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Videojs HTML5 Player 7K+ · 4.7★ (18) wp.org #4 5 Download Monitor 80K+ · 4.5★ (525) wp.org #12 7 too low 6 Sitemap Generator 3K+ · 3.7★ (23) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #13 ↑2 6 too low 8 WP Document Revisions 2K+ · 3.7★ (23) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 SiteGround Migrator 80K+ · 4.3★ (403) wp.org #20 ↓2 11 too low 10 MultiLine Files for Contact Form 7 9K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too low 11 Drag and Drop Multiple File Upload for Contact Form 7 60K+ · 4.8★ (94) wp.org #21 ↓4 10 too low 12 Conditional Fields for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.8★ (166) wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too low 13 Asgaros Forum 10K+ · 4.7★ (210) wp.org #17 ↑2 4 too low 14 WP Editor 20K+ · 4.5★ (95) wp.org #23 ↓1 9 too low 15 Easy Upload Files During Checkout 500+ · 4.7★ (60) wp.org #22 ↓1 7 too low 16 Ads.txt Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #16 17 Filr – Secure document library 700+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #24 ↓1 7 too low 18 Easy SVG Support 40K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too low 19 Multiple File Upload for Contact Form 7 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 12 too high 20 CompactForm – Drag & Drop Form Builder for Contact Form 7 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 10 too high 21 TechnologyWisdom Upload Guard — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 10 too high 22 WP FOFT Loader 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 14 too high 23 Auto Rename Media On Upload 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 14 too high 24 GoTechArk Easy Job Apply — · 0.0★ (0) 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.