wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “github profile”
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 “github profile”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 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
Custom Profile Picture – Replace Gravatar with Your Own Images shows at wp.org #5 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #1 2 
User Profile Picture 40K+ · 4.6★ (59)
wp.org #2 3 
UsersWP – Front-end login form, User Registration, User Profile & Members Directory plugin for WP 20K+ · 4.7★ (183)
wp.org #6 3 too low 4 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1915)
wp.org #12 ↓1 8 too low 5 
Nextend Social Login and Register 200K+ · 4.9★ (446)
wp.org #13 8 too low 6 
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 #7 1 too low 7 G Github Embed 1K+ · 3.9★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #3 4 too high 8 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #19 ↓2 11 too low 9 
Better Search Replace 1M+ · 4.3★ (546)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11 
Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273)
wp.org #11 ↑1 12 
ProfilePress – Paid Membership, Online Courses (LMS), Ecommerce, User Registration & Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content 100K+ · 3.1★ (938) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #20 ↑1 6 too low 15 
WP Plugin Info Card – Showcase Beautiful Plugin, Theme, and GitHub Cards Anywhere 400+ · 5.0★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #14 1 too high 16 
GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #22 ↓3 6 too low 17 
CiviCRM Profile Sync 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #4 13 too high 18 
Simple Admin Language Change 10K+ · 4.7★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too high 19 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Custom Profile Picture – Replace Gravatar with Your Own Images 300+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #5 15 too high 21 
FluentAuth – Login Security, Two-Factor Authentication, Passkeys & Social Login 10K+ · 4.1★ (35)
wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 
WP Frontend Profile 100+ · 4.3★ (9) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too high 23 
Custom Social Profile Gallery 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too high 24 
Linked Open Profiles 60+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 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.