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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “fixed header”

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 “fixed header”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

Fixed And Sticky Header shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy places #6 on merit, 5.0★ from 4625 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Sticky Header Effects for Elementor 300K+ · 4.5★ (69) wp.org #1 2 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #2 3 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1915) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 Header Footer Code Manager 600K+ · 4.9★ (309) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763) wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too low 6 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #17 ↑3 11 too low 7 Insert Headers And Footers 200K+ · 5.0★ (135) wp.org #14 ↓2 7 too low 8 Header and Footer Scripts 200K+ · 4.6★ (58) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 Fixed Bottom Menu 4K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too high 10 HTTP Headers 40K+ · 4.3★ (70) wp.org #11 ↑7 1 too low 11 Head, Footer and Post Injections 200K+ · 4.9★ (735) wp.org #16 ↓3 5 too low 12 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #22 ↓1 10 too low 13 W WP Display Header 7K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 U Unique Headers 10K+ · 4.9★ (160) wp.org #15 ↓1 16 WP Header Images 4K+ · 4.4★ (35) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Header Footer Builder for Elementor 30K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #8 ↓2 9 too high 18 All-in-One Sticky Anything – Click to Call, Fixed Widget, Sticky Header, Menu & Sidebar 1K+ · 4.9★ (15) wp.org #24 ↓2 6 too low 19 Fixed And Sticky Header 1K+ · 3.3★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 14 too high 20 Far Future Expiry Header 6K+ · 3.2★ (31) wp.org #18 ↓2 2 too high 21 Sticky Header 2020 600+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Security Header Generator 400+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too high 23 CM Header and Footer – Add custom scripts and styles to your header and footer with ease 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 24 Header Enhancement 500+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓2 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.