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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “form collector”

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 “form collector”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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 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

Walley Checkout for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Element Pack Addons for Elementor – Elementor Widgets, Elementor Templates, Elementor Addons places #4 on merit, 4.7★ from 284 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (971) wp.org #1 2 Plugins Garbage Collector (Database Cleanup) 10K+ · 4.4★ (92) wp.org #2 3 Lenix Leads Collector 10K+ · 4.4★ (25) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Element Pack Addons for Elementor – Elementor Widgets, Elementor Templates, Elementor Addons 100K+ · 4.7★ (284) wp.org #13 ↓1 9 too low 5 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (68) wp.org #11 6 too low 6 NinjaScanner – Virus & Malware scan 30K+ · 4.0★ (36) wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too low 7 IdeaPush 700+ · 4.5★ (31) wp.org #7 8 Boei – AI Chatbot, Live Chat & 50+ Channels 900+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #17 ↓1 9 too low 9 Recapture for Easy Digital Downloads 600+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #16 ↑1 7 too low 10 HelpGent – Video Funnels and Conversational Forms for WordPress 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 11 RobArt Text Collector 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 8 too high 12 Polski for WooCommerce 30+ · 4.8★ (10) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Resume Collector 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 M Magic the Gathering Card Tooltips 100+ · 4.2★ (6) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 Walley Checkout for WooCommerce 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 10 too high 16 BaseCloud UTM Tracker 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↑3 4 too high 17 Meep AI Translator – Multilingual for Elementor, WooCommerce & Forms 10+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #24 7 too low 18 F Form Data Collector 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓1 9 too high 19 Wine Cellar Manager – From collector to sommelier: wine always in order 10+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓1 5 too high 20 Comic Collector — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Secure Login Collector — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too high 22 K Kronarc Review Collector (Lite) — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 RobArt Colour Collector — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 S Simula Security Telemetry for Wordfence 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.