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

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 “folders”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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

Virtual Media Folders shows at wp.org #8 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 300+ 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

Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 3220 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525) wp.org #1 2 FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Wicked Folders – Folder Organizer for Pages, Posts, and Custom Post Types 20K+ · 4.9★ (56) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Media Library Folders 10K+ · 4.3★ (465) wp.org #4 ↑2 5 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #9 ↑3 4 too low 6 Media Library Organizer – Folders, File Manager & Media Categories 20K+ · 4.7★ (150) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager 100K+ · 4.8★ (297) wp.org #6 ↓2 1 too high 8 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #14 ↓4 6 too low 9 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220) wp.org #22 ↓2 13 too low 10 File Manager 1M+ · 4.6★ (1492) wp.org #16 ↓3 6 too low 11 CatFolders – WordPress Media Library Folders & Categories 6K+ · 4.3★ (22) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #12 ↑4 13 Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution 100K+ · 4.8★ (441) wp.org #23 ↓8 10 too low 14 Prevent Files / Folders Access 1K+ · 4.6★ (35) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 File Manager Pro – Filester 100K+ · 4.9★ (155) wp.org #21 5 too low 17 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #24 ↓2 7 too low 18 Simple Media Library Folders 100+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #10 ↑11 8 too high 19 Real Category Management: Content Management in Category Folders 2K+ · 4.1★ (17) wp.org #13 ↓4 6 too high 20 Organize Media Folder 2K+ · 4.1★ (16) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Mediamatic – Media Library Folders 1K+ · 3.9★ (16) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too high 22 Virtual Media Folders 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 14 too high 23 Folderify – Media Library Folders 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 JT Media Folders 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓1 4 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.