wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “google”
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 “google”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Google for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #3 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 800K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.7★ average from 268 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #1 2 
Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #2 3 
Rich Showcase for Google Reviews 100K+ · 4.9★ (1623)
wp.org #6 ↑2 3 too low 4 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too high 6 
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA 200K+ · 4.8★ (430)
wp.org #7 ↑4 1 too low 7 
XML Sitemap Generator for Google 1M+ · 4.8★ (2233)
wp.org #9 ↓3 2 too low 8 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #8 ↑1 9 
Translate WordPress – Google Language Translator 100K+ · 4.7★ (620)
wp.org #12 ↑6 3 too low 10 Google for WooCommerce 800K+ · 2.7★ (268) low rating, top placement
wp.org #3 7 too high 11 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520)
wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too low 12 
Fonts Plugin | Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts & Upload Fonts 200K+ · 5.0★ (1221)
wp.org #15 ↑2 3 too low 13 
GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #10 3 too high 14 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758)
wp.org #11 3 too high 15 
WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055)
wp.org #19 ↓7 4 too low 16 
Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399)
wp.org #16 17 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27820)
wp.org #22 5 too low 18 
GSheetConnector – CF7 Google Sheets Connector & Save CF7 Entries to Database 40K+ · 4.4★ (129)
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 
Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251)
wp.org #17 ↓4 2 too high 20 
WP Google Review Slider 30K+ · 4.9★ (373)
wp.org #23 3 too low 21 
MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147)
wp.org #21 ↓1 22 
Reviews and Rating – Google Reviews 20K+ · 4.9★ (184)
wp.org #24 ↓9 2 too low 23 
Local Google Fonts 100K+ · 4.6★ (83)
wp.org #18 5 too high 24 
Disable and Remove Google Fonts | GDPR & DSGVO friendly 100K+ · 4.5★ (46)
wp.org #20 ↓1 4 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.