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

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 “gifting”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 2 of the top 20. 4 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.

Buried gem

Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 1281 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Flexible PDF Coupons – Gift Cards & Vouchers for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (31) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 WebToffee Gift Cards for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.5★ (10) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Milo Subscriptions – Subscriptions for WooCommerce and Recurring Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281) wp.org #24 20 too low 5 Gift Pack for WooCommerce 200+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #3 ↑1 2 too high 6 Gift Vouchers for WooCommerce 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too high 7 MH Free Gifts for WooCommerce 600+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too high 8 B Beltoft Gift Cards for WooCommerce 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 GIFT4U – Gift Cards All in One for Woo 200+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too high 10 Wallet Ready Gift Cards for WooCommerce by GiftRocketWP 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too low 11 FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Square WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too high 12 Smart eGift Card — · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 RelyWP: Simple Store Credit – Wallet System for WooCommerce 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14 B BP Gifts 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too high 15 Gift Reporter for MemberPress — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too high 16 Gift Checkout for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Trust Teddy Connector for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 Felmivo Checkout Builder for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Admin Filters for MemberPress — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 NavClub – Smart Membership for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 Tickets & Passes for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 KR Customizer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 Wishly – Wishlist for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 Wishfinity — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 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.