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← Rankings

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

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 search”, 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

Google for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #4 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 14 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.

Buried gem

Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 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 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520) wp.org #3 ↑1 4 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #9 ↑2 5 too low 5 GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #5 ↑1 6 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too low 8 XML Sitemap Generator for Google 1M+ · 4.8★ (2233) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3156) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 Search Exclude 50K+ · 4.8★ (218) wp.org #12 ↑5 1 too low 12 Translate WordPress – Google Language Translator 100K+ · 4.7★ (620) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too low 13 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #19 ↓11 5 too low 15 GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #15 ↓1 16 Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter 70K+ · 4.8★ (266) wp.org #18 ↑4 2 too low 17 Fonts Plugin | Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts & Upload Fonts 200K+ · 5.0★ (1221) wp.org #22 ↑1 5 too low 18 Google for WooCommerce 800K+ · 2.7★ (268) wp.org #4 ↓1 14 too high 19 FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.9★ (1815) wp.org #20 ↓4 1 too low 20 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #24 ↓3 4 too low 21 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 ThinkRank SEO – AI SEO Plugin for SEO & Google Search Console 20K+ · 4.9★ (36) wp.org #11 11 too high 23 WP Google Review Slider 30K+ · 4.9★ (373) wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too high 24 Search Engine Insights for Google Search Console 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #16 ↓1 8 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.