wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “filterable gallery”
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 “filterable gallery”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
WPZOOM Portfolio Lite – Filterable Portfolio Plugin shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 265 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.
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 
Envira Gallery – Image Photo Gallery, Albums, Video Gallery, Slideshows & More 100K+ · 4.7★ (1596)
wp.org #2 3 
Portfolio Filter Gallery – Photo Gallery 20K+ · 4.8★ (348)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 
Ultimate Before After Image Slider & Gallery – BEAF 30K+ · 4.9★ (107)
wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too low 5 
Gallery by Visual Portfolio 60K+ · 4.8★ (340)
wp.org #14 ↓3 9 too low 6 
Document Gallery 8K+ · 4.8★ (112) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↑7 1 too low 7 
Portfolio Grid – Filterable Gallery, Grid & Slider Showcase 800+ · 4.4★ (33)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
Video Gallery Block – showcase your videos in a filterable gallery 1K+ · 4.2★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↑1 5 too high 9 
Radius Portfolio – Filterable Grid, Gallery & Slider Portfolio 7K+ · 4.6★ (38)
wp.org #10 ↑2 1 too low 10 The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid 100K+ · 4.8★ (265)
wp.org #20 10 too low 11 
Gallery – Photo Albums Plugin 2K+ · 3.8★ (277)
wp.org #16 ↑1 5 too low 12 
Master Addons for Elementor – Elementor Addons, Widgets, Mega Menu Builder, Popup Builder, Widget Builder & Template Kits 30K+ · 4.5★ (212)
wp.org #22 ↓3 10 too low 13 
Responsive Filterable Portfolio Gallery – Media Grid & Video Portfolio 1K+ · 4.6★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 
Filterable Portfolio 1K+ · 4.2★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too high 15 
Album Gallery for Photo & Video 4K+ · 4.8★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too high 16 
Skyboot Custom Icons for Elementor – Elementor Icons library – 14300+ Icons 200K+ · 5.0★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too low 17 
TableOn – WordPress Posts Table Filterable 200+ · 4.6★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too high 18 
PowerFolio – Portfolio & Image Gallery for Elementor 10K+ · 4.5★ (12) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 
ImagePress – Front-End Photo Uploads & Member Galleries 200+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓2 2 too high 20 
Filter for Elementor 700+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 WPZOOM Portfolio Lite – Filterable Portfolio Plugin 20K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓2 10 too high 22 
Simple Gallery with Filter 100+ · 5.0★ (3) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 
Xpro Gallery For Beaver Builder – Lite 100+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 
Wisp Gallery 20+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 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.