wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “github profile card”
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 card”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 5 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
Cards Layout – showcase content in responsive card grids shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 418 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP Plugin Info Card – Showcase Beautiful Plugin, Theme, and GitHub Cards Anywhere 400+ · 5.0★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #4 2 too low 3 
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current
wp.org #2 ↓1 1 too high 4 Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #11 ↓1 7 too low 5 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↓1 5 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 
ProfilePress – Paid Membership, Online Courses (LMS), Ecommerce, User Registration & Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content 100K+ · 3.1★ (938) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement
wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too high 8 
GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #8 ↓2 9 
WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144)
wp.org #12 ↑5 3 too low 10 
OG — Better Share on Social Media 20K+ · 4.8★ (216)
wp.org #14 ↓3 4 too low 11 
Multibanco, MB WAY, Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Payshop, and PIX (ifthenpay) for WooCommerce 8K+ · 5.0★ (21) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 
Custom Profile Picture – Replace Gravatar with Your Own Images 300+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #3 9 too high 13 
EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307) not PHP-current
wp.org #24 11 too low 14 
XPoster – Share to Bluesky and Mastodon 10K+ · 3.8★ (69)
wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too low 15 
Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks – CoBlocks 300K+ · 4.2★ (109) not PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓1 16 
ActivityPub 6K+ · 4.9★ (40) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↓5 2 too low 17 
Mollie Payments for WooCommerce 100K+ · 3.6★ (69) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↑2 3 too low 18 Cards Layout – showcase content in responsive card grids 500+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↓1 12 too high 19 
VK All in One Expansion Unit 100K+ · 4.0★ (7) host-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 
Custom Social Profile Gallery 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 7 too high 21 
Pinterest for WooCommerce 200K+ · 2.3★ (68) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 
Social Integration for BlueSky 700+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓2 1 too low 23 
Social Share Block – Help Visitors Spread Your Content Everywhere 2K+ · 4.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓2 2 too high 24 
Markdown Renderer for GitHub 50+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓2 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.