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

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 “gospel”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 of the top 18. 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.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Bible Reading Plans 100+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #1 2 B BuddyPress Usernames Only 40+ · 5.0★ (7) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 7 too low 3

MissionaryConnect Gospel 404 — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #2 1 too high 4

Hello Gospel — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 1 too high 5

Bible SuperSearch 300+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #5 6

Hidden Word Bible Lessons — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #4 2 too high 7

Daily Bible Readings 20+ · 5.0★ (2) not PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #6 1 too high 8 B BuddyPress Private Messages for Friends Only 20+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 3 too low 9

evangelizo 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 2 too high 10

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.