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

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 “gamified”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 2 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

myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards shows at wp.org #12 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

AI Popup Builder & Popup Maker by OptiMonk places #8 on merit, 4.7★ from 98 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #1 2 WP Optin Wheel – Gamified Optin Email Marketing Tool for WordPress and WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (81) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Brevo – Email, SMS, Web Push, Chat, and more. 100K+ · 4.1★ (284) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 Popup Builder by Claspo – Email Popup, Spin the Wheel, Exit Intent 1K+ · 5.0★ (40) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create Loyalty Programs, Reward Customer Purchases, Referral Points, User Badges, and Gamification 6K+ · 4.5★ (180) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Popup builder with Gamification, Multi-Step Popups, Page-Level Targeting, and WooCommerce Triggers 70K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #7 8 AI Popup Builder & Popup Maker by OptiMonk 3K+ · 4.7★ (98) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 Popup and Widget Builder: Lead Capture, Exit Intent, Forms, Quizzes, Gamification 200+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Wisepops Popups & Notifications 400+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 5 too low 11 Init User Engine – Gamified, Fast, Frontend-First 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↑2 7 too high 12 Lockee 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 Leaderboarded 100+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 PuzzleMe – Interactive Puzzles for WordPress – Easily publish crosswords, quizzes, word searches and more 1K+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Responsive Visibility — Show or Hide Blocks by Device, Custom Breakpoints & Conditions 100+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #18 3 too low 16 WebEquipe Spin & Win Wheel 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 T TapHuman – Gamified CAPTCHA & Bot Protection — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Conversion.Business Gamified CAPTCHA — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Scroll to Top – Smooth Scroll Up, Back to Top & Reading Progress Bar 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Spin Wheel – Lucky Wheel, Giveaway & Coupon Popup 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 Spin Wheel 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 YS LeadGen – Popup Builder, Contact Form Builder, Exit Intent, Optin Forms & Lead Generation 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 BusinessLeague Marketing 40+ · 0.0★ (0) 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.