wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “frontend post”
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 “frontend post”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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
Easy Post Submission – Frontend Posting, Guest Publishing & Submit Content for WordPress shows at wp.org #4 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 14387 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission 20K+ · 4.1★ (537) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 
Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236)
wp.org #5 ↑5 3 too low 3 
ACF Frontend Admin by DynamiApps 8K+ · 4.5★ (160) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Frontend Post Submission Manager Lite – Guest Post and Frontend Submission Forms 1K+ · 4.5★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #2 ↑2 2 too high 5 
WCFM – Frontend Manager for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.5★ (286)
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6 
Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (210) heavy footprint
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7 
User Submitted Posts – Enable Users to Submit Posts from the Front End 10K+ · 4.8★ (913)
wp.org #12 ↓4 5 too low 8 
Frontend Dashboard 500+ · 4.9★ (136)
wp.org #8 ↓1 9 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #16 ↑5 7 too low 10 
Rate My Post – Star Rating Plugin by FeedbackWP 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 ↑5 1 too high 11 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #23 12 too low 12 
WP Frontend Delete Account 4K+ · 4.6★ (27)
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #22 ↓5 9 too low 14 Easy Post Submission – Frontend Posting, Guest Publishing & Submit Content for WordPress 4K+ · 4.5★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↓1 10 too high 15 
W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94)
wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 
Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
Display Post Types – Post Grid, post list and post sliders 8K+ · 5.0★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 4 too high 18 D Display custom fields in the frontend – Post and User Profile Fields 500+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #11 7 too high 19 
WP Frontend Admin – Display WP Admin Pages in the Frontend 400+ · 4.9★ (54) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 
Hide Page And Post Title 40K+ · 3.6★ (54)
wp.org #20 ↑2 21 
Frontend Product Editor for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↑1 4 too high 22 
Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too high 23 
Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑1 9 too high 24 
Post Type Transfer 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #21 3 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.