wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “generate pdf”

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 “generate pdf”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 9 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

PDF for Elementor Forms + Drag And Drop Template Builder shows at wp.org #11 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.9★ average from 11 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 2144 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

PDF Embedder – PDF Viewer & Embed PDF Files for WordPress 300K+ · 4.7★ (529) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Generate PDF using Contact Form 7 4K+ · 4.7★ (40) wp.org #2 1 too high 4

PDF & Print by BestWebSoft – WordPress Posts and Pages PDF Generator Plugin 9K+ · 3.9★ (102) wp.org #5 1 too low 5

DK PDF – WordPress PDF Generator 3K+ · 4.5★ (44) wp.org #6 1 too low 6

WebToffee WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Packing Slips, Delivery Notes & Shipping Labels 50K+ · 4.9★ (285) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7

Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807) wp.org #16 ↑2 9 too low 8

Fluent PDF Generator 20K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #4 4 too high 9

Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144) wp.org #22 13 too low 10

Print, PDF & Email by PrintFriendly 20K+ · 3.8★ (237) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11

PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce – Challan 7K+ · 4.6★ (47) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too high 12

PDF Builder for WooCommerce. Create invoices,packing slips and more 2K+ · 4.7★ (145) wp.org #17 ↑2 5 too low 13

3D FlipBook – PDF Embedder, PDF Flipbook Viewer, Flipbook Image Gallery 70K+ · 4.8★ (182) wp.org #21 ↑2 8 too low 14

PDF Generator for WordPress 1K+ · 4.6★ (39) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too high 15

E2Pdf – Export Pdf Tool for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (59) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #18 ↑2 3 too low 16

PDF Catalog for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.3★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too high 17

PDF Forms Filler for CF7 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #14 ↑3 3 too high 18

PDF for Elementor Forms + Drag And Drop Template Builder 1K+ · 3.9★ (11) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #11 ↑1 7 too high 19

PDF for WPForms + Drag and Drop Template Builder 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #12 ↑1 7 too high 20

PDF Invoice for WooCommerce + Drag and Drop Template Builder 500+ · 5.0★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 ↑2 21

PDF for Gravity Forms + Drag And Drop Template Builder 400+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #15 ↑1 6 too high 22

PDF for Contact Form 7 + Drag and Drop Template Builder 500+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 1 too low 23

Free PDF to Flipbook 500+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

PDF for Forminator Forms + Drag and Drop Template Builder 200+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #19 ↑2 5 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.