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

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 “greyscale”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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

Zen Addons for SiteOrigin Page Builder shows at wp.org #3 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Accessibility Helper (WAH) places #2 on merit, 4.7★ from 57 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 signals wp.org

Accessibility Tool Kit: WP Accessibility checker plugin for WCAG, Section 508, ADA, EAA Compliance 1K+ · 4.8★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #1 2

WP Accessibility Helper (WAH) 10K+ · 4.7★ (57) wp.org #9 7 too low 3

Create with Code 300+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #4 1 too low 4

GS Pinterest Portfolio – Pins Grid, Masonry, User Profile, Popup & Board Widgets 1K+ · 4.8★ (47) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 9 too low 5

Social Icons 10K+ · 4.5★ (15) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 10 too low 6

Grey Rock Block Synchroniser for Wordfence and Cloudflare 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #2 4 too high 7

XT Quick View for WooCommerce 300+ · 3.8★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #14 7 too low 8

Essential Pro Pack for Elementor — · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #7 1 too high 9

WCAG Admin Accessibility Tools 30+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #5 4 too high 10

Zen Addons for SiteOrigin Page Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #3 7 too high 11

Royal Access – Accessibility Toolbar & WCAG Tools 60+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 5 too high 12

Accessibility Press 100+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 13

Legalithm – EU AI Act Compliance — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #8 5 too high 14

Grinner Blocks — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #10 4 too high 15

pdfl.io — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #11 4 too high 16

DPTag Digital Product Passports for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #17 1 too low 17

Bread 300+ · 0.0★ (0) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #16 1 too high 18

Temperal PhotoSynth — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 1 too low 19

1Click Grey Mode 30+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 1 too high 20

OrderBee 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 1 too low 21

SX Social Icons 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #22 1 too low 22 I ImageFX 40+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #23 1 too low 23 G Grey Mode 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 3 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.