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← Rankings

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

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 “goto”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 2 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

Simple Goto Top Button shows at wp.org #2 but places #8 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Telegram Widget and Join Link 4K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #1 2 Uncanny Automator – AI + Automation for WordPress | AI Agent, AI Page Builder, Free AI Usage Included 40K+ · 4.9★ (157) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 No External Links 4K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #3 4 WP Telegram Login & Register 800+ · 4.9★ (37) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 S Scripts To Footer 7K+ · 4.7★ (37) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 Exclude Category from Blog 1K+ · 4.0★ (7) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 ACF Photo Gallery Field 60K+ · 4.0★ (29) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Simple Goto Top Button 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 WP Free SSL 1K+ · 4.7★ (23) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 Form to Chat App ⚡️ 2K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 Display wp_mail Error Messages 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Post Porter 20+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 2 too high 14 Coupon & Discount Code Reveal Button 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 1 too low 15 Shiprocket 10K+ · 2.7★ (20) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Custom Preloader 100+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 eCommerce Comments and Ratings 10+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 Page/Post Converter for WPBakery to Elementor 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 19 AI Generated Post 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 A ACH Processing Company Plugin 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 EasyInsights 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Post Redirection – 301, 404 Redirects 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Checkout Field Visibility for eCommerce 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 WP Menu Custom Fields 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 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.