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

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 “freelance”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Freelance Studio Simple Event Calendar shows at wp.org #4 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 30+ 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

File Manager places #8 on merit, 4.3★ from 202 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (222) wp.org #3 ↑1 2 too low 2 Disable WP Notification 10K+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Automatically Hierarchic Categories in Menu 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder with AI 90K+ · 4.9★ (375) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Image Widget 100K+ · 4.9★ (287) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 All-in-one Sticky Floating Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, and 50+ Social Icon Tabs – My Sticky Elements 40K+ · 4.9★ (542) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Bit integrations – Form Integration, Webhook, Spreadsheets, CRM, LMS & Email Automation 20K+ · 4.9★ (160) wp.org #17 ↑1 10 too low 8 File Manager 10K+ · 4.3★ (202) wp.org #19 ↑5 11 too low 9 Disable User Login 6K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Advanced Timeline Block 500+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 Blocks Kit – Popular Gutenberg Block Collection 400+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 JobBoardWP – Job Board Listings and Submissions 900+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Responsive Filterable Portfolio Gallery – Media Grid & Video Portfolio 1K+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 Adminify – White Label, Admin Menu Editor, Login Customizer 6K+ · 4.3★ (109) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 Signature Add-On for Gravity Forms 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Wbcom Designs – BuddyPress Member Reviews 200+ · 4.7★ (18) wp.org #24 ↓1 8 too low 17 Freelance Studio Simple Event Calendar 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 ↓1 13 too high 18 Import CDN-Remote Images 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 HIPAA Forms 800+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login Security & Malware Scans 1K+ · 3.4★ (14) wp.org #20 21 Modules Kit – Beaver Builder Modules 80+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↓1 3 too high 22 Alpaca Issue Tracker 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓2 1 too low 23 UTM Tracker for Contact Form 7 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 12 too high 24 Block Gallery to Carousel Lightbox 30+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.