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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “float ads”

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 “float ads”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Init Ad Engine – Flexible, Multi-Format, Secure shows at wp.org #5 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 70+ 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

Easy Custom Auto Excerpt places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 151 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #1 2 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333) wp.org #7 ↓3 4 too low 4 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 FlatPM – Ad Manager, AdSense and Custom Code 10K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too high 6 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar 20K+ · 4.8★ (302) wp.org #15 ↓1 8 too low 8 AdX Ad Inserter – Adsense and Ad Manager Ads 80+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 ↑1 6 too high 9 MyRewards 2K+ · 4.7★ (58) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 Transient Cleaner 1K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 Payment forms, Buy now buttons, and Invoicing System | GetPaid 5K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too low 12 Easy Custom Auto Excerpt 6K+ · 4.5★ (151) wp.org #24 ↓5 12 too low 13 DevVn Float Left Right Ads 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 Video Gallery – YouTube, Vimeo Gallery & YouTube API 1K+ · 4.0★ (7) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Init Ad Engine – Flexible, Multi-Format, Secure 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↑2 10 too high 16 CookieBoxs – GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent & Google Consent Mode v2 200+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #20 ↓3 4 too low 17 PubExa – Ad Manager, Ad Inserter & Website Monetization 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Ultimate Classified Listings – Classifieds, Directory & Marketplace 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓2 19 MaxBoxy: Make WordPress Floating Content, Popup, Alert Bar 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 10 too high 20 Sanil Ads Kit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Open.Video 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 AdGhost Lite – Ad Inserter for Google Ad Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 Yoppli Video Player Design — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓4 1 too high 24 Minute Video 50+ · 0.0★ (0) 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.