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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “fx rate”

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 “fx rate”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Airwallex Online Payments Gateway shows at wp.org #5 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 8K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.1★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 302 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Revolut Gateway for WooCommerce 7K+ · 3.2★ (45) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools 30K+ · 4.6★ (535) wp.org #10 ↓1 8 too low 3 Exchange Rates Widget 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Exchange Rates 800+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar 20K+ · 4.8★ (302) wp.org #15 ↑1 10 too low 6 Database Reset 10K+ · 4.5★ (77) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Euro FxRef Currency Converter (by DKZR) 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Currency Converter Widget ⚡ PRO 300+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Currency Converter Calculator 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Quick Interest Slider 1K+ · 4.6★ (13) wp.org #16 ↓2 6 too low 11 Airwallex Online Payments Gateway 8K+ · 2.1★ (7) wp.org #5 6 too high 12 Forex Calculators 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 AURPAY WooCommerce – Bitcoin/USDT Crypto Payment Gateway 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too low 14 FX Currency Converter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↑1 5 too high 15 AURPAY Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) – Bitcoin Crypto Payment Gateway 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓1 8 too low 16 Kurs Rublya FX Rates Calculator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Tranzly™ – AI Translation & Multilingual 7K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 CenterShield – Site Security: Login Protection, 2FA, File Protection & Malware Scan 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 6 too low 19 AURPAY Paid Memberships Pro (PMP) – Bitcoin Crypto Payment Gateway 20+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #21 ↑3 2 too low 20 Tazapay Checkout Payment Gateway 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Eezz FX Payout Estimator for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 EdgeTariff – Duty and Tax for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 AutoLingo — Automatic Translation for Polylang & WPML 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Exchange Rate Table 200+ · 2.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 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.