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

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 “freehand”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 3 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

Noted Visual Feedback shows at wp.org #4 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #1 2 Mega Addons For WPBakery Page Builder 20K+ · 4.2★ (57) wp.org #2 3 Artist Image Generator: DALL-E AI for Image Content & Customizable WC Products. Upscaler. 90+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #15 ↑1 12 too low 4 GutenDraw – Visualize Ideas with Excalidraw 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 Previu – Visual Client Feedback for Elementor 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Idesoftbcn AI Product Customizer for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 Namoman Image Editor (NIE) 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too low 8 Vanquish Attach Me – Order & Product Attachments for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↑1 13 too low 9 PressPrimer Assignment – Homework Submission, Document Viewer & LMS Grading Workflows 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too high 10 Noted Visual Feedback 90+ · 3.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↑1 6 too high 11 D DynamiCard — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too high 12 Tuft Feedback — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 FeedHat – On-Page Screenshot Feedback — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↑1 4 too high 14 S SuryaCreates Pencil Pointer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too high 15 Memora Board — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 2 too high 16 neo Draw – Create diagrams & icons without leaving WordPress — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too high 17 ListingKit – Fast Search & Filter for Houzez — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too high 18 Stillframe – Screenshot Capture & Markup — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too high 19 UAIP Yet Another PDF Editor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 Live Story — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too high 21 Sketch Block 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too high 22 Pixel Ghost: Design Matcher — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 GlitchPin – Visual Bug Feedback — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↑1

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.