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

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 “gmaps”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 6 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

PixTypes shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 9K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Addon Elements for Elementor (formerly Elementor Addon Elements) places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 172 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map 10K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #4 3 too low 2 Simple Shortcode for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.6★ (46) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 Gmap Block 10K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Addon Elements for Elementor (formerly Elementor Addon Elements) 80K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #15 11 too low 5 Responsive Lightbox 10K+ · 4.6★ (42) wp.org #14 9 too low 6 Track Geolocation Of Users Using Contact Form 7 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Simple Event Planner 1K+ · 4.3★ (23) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 Lazy Load for GMaps 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 C Contact Form 7 extension for Google Map fields 500+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Office Locator 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 ND Shortcodes 20K+ · 3.3★ (13) wp.org #16 5 too low 12 Map Engine – Google Maps and Open Street Maps for WordPress 100+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #12 13 GMap Targeting – Simple Targeting Inside Google Maps 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 Smart GEO GMap 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme 80K+ · 2.1★ (7) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Location Module (Lite) for Contact Form 7 100+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 MRZ Maps Exp — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 Fam Gmap ShortCode — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 BS Maps – Google Map and Leaflet Map for Elementor and WPBackery 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 10 too high 20 A Arastoo GMap Extended — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 21 G GMaps Google Maps Shortcode — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 LB GMaps — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 WP Leaflet Mapper 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 PixTypes 9K+ · 2.0★ (2) wp.org #11 13 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.