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

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 “flowplayer”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 20. 8 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

PilotPress shows at wp.org #5 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.2★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

FV Flowplayer Video Player 10K+ · 4.4★ (90) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Easy Video Player 20K+ · 4.2★ (57) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Flowplayer Video Player 900+ · 4.0★ (6) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #2 1 too high 4

Foliopress WYSIWYG 200+ · 4.0★ (8) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #4 5 F Flowplayer Playlist 10+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 6 too low 6 R Responsive Thickbox 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 2 too low 7

Flowplayer Platform Embed 30+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 8 S Sensei-video-protection 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 2 too low 9 S Simple YouTube 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 10 S SmartS3 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 2 too low 11

FV Player 8 1K+ · 4.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #6 5 too high 12 I iteia-wp-video — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 6 too low 13

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.