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

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

Thumbnail Editor shows at wp.org #8 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Team Members – A WordPress Team Plugin with Gallery, Grid, Carousel, Slider, Table, List, and More places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 91 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #1 2 Button visually impaired 10K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #2 3 SimpleTOC – Table of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.9★ (77) wp.org #3 ↑2 4 FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125) wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too low 5 Progress Bar 1K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Ultimate Post List 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) wp.org #6 7 Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.0★ (25) wp.org #7 8 Screen Reader Accessibility – WCAG, Text-to-Speech & AI Accessibility Fixes 600+ · 4.8★ (31) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 Team Members – A WordPress Team Plugin with Gallery, Grid, Carousel, Slider, Table, List, and More 2K+ · 4.7★ (91) wp.org #22 ↑1 13 too low 10 BuddyPress Registration Groups 100+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #10 ↑1 11 Logo Showcase with Logo Carousel, Logo Slider & Logo Grid 200+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Portfolio – Filterable Masonry Portfolio Gallery for Professionals 200+ · 4.1★ (14) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Autocomplete Google Address 2K+ · 4.0★ (25) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 Solid Testimonials – Testimonial Slider, Video Testimonials & Customer Reviews 1K+ · 4.3★ (35) wp.org #23 ↓2 9 too low 15 Currency Converter Calculator 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 XT Quick View for WooCommerce 300+ · 3.8★ (13) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Euro FxRef Currency Converter (by DKZR) 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 Add as Preferred Source on Google 900+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #24 6 too low 19 Thumbnail Editor 600+ · 3.0★ (5) wp.org #8 11 too high 20 AboveWP Admin Dark Mode 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 Customize My Account for WooCommerce – Custom Tabs, Login, Registration, 2FA & Design 900+ · 3.4★ (5) wp.org #21 ↑1 22 ShareMyPost 10K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 3 too high 23 W WH Tweaks 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 7 too high 24 Kuvat.fi embed 30+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #17 7 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.