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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “formatted output”

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

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

wpDataTables integration for Forminator Forms shows at wp.org #9 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 1K+ 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

Simple Shopping Cart places #8 on merit, 4.6★ from 215 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #1 2 Reviews and Rating – Google Reviews 20K+ · 4.9★ (184) wp.org #2 3 Meta Field Block – Display Custom Fields for ACF, Meta Box and More 10K+ · 5.0★ (57) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 URL Params 8K+ · 5.0★ (37) wp.org #4 5 SEO Media Manager 5K+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Store Exporter – Export WooCommerce Products, Orders, Subscriptions, Customers 6K+ · 4.1★ (166) wp.org #6 7 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1917) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Job Postings 10K+ · 4.4★ (58) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #10 11 GravityExport Lite for Gravity Forms 10K+ · 5.0★ (39) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 Zalomení 6K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Simple Blog Stats 4K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 Minimum Order Amount for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.6★ (14) wp.org #14 15 Advanced Category and Custom Taxonomy Image 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 WP-ServerInfo 10K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Nepali Date Converter 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 10 too high 18 VigIA – AI Visibility, Analytics & Control 2K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #23 5 too low 19 Blocks for ACF Fields — Display Custom Fields in the Block Editor 2K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Search Atlas SEO – OTTO AI SEO Automation for WordPress 7K+ · 3.3★ (24) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 wpDataTables integration for Forminator Forms 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 13 too high 23 F4 Salutation Fields for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 MB Elementor Integration 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #15 9 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.