wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “grid display”
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 “grid display”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Magical Posts Display – Elementor Advanced Posts widgets shows at wp.org #13 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 10 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Widgets for Google Reviews places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 2667 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616)
wp.org #1 2 
The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid 100K+ · 4.8★ (265)
wp.org #2 3 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Post Grid 30K+ · 4.3★ (163)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #5 6 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #11 4 too low 8 
Post Grid Addon for Elementor 10K+ · 4.9★ (76)
wp.org #8 9 
Display Post Types – Post Grid, post list and post sliders 8K+ · 5.0★ (26)
wp.org #6 3 too high 10 
Product Category Slider & Grid for WooCommerce – Reno Product Category 9K+ · 4.8★ (91)
wp.org #9 1 too high 11 
Image Photo Gallery Final Tiles Grid 20K+ · 4.7★ (353)
wp.org #14 ↓4 3 too low 12 
Smart Grid-Layout Design for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.5★ (72)
wp.org #10 ↑4 2 too high 13 
Meta Field Block – Display Custom Fields for ACF, Meta Box and More 10K+ · 5.0★ (57)
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612)
wp.org #24 ↓4 10 too low 15 
Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58)
wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16 
WP Ultimate Post Grid 4K+ · 4.4★ (32)
wp.org #16 ↓1 17 
Portfolio Grid – Filterable Gallery, Grid & Slider Showcase 800+ · 4.4★ (33)
wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too low 18 
Video Grid 1K+ · 4.4★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too high 19 
Product Carousel Slider & Grid Ultimate for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.3★ (33)
wp.org #21 ↑2 2 too low 20 Magical Posts Display – Elementor Advanced Posts widgets 3K+ · 4.4★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 7 too high 21 
Loop Grid Extender for Elementor – ACF Repeater & Smart Filters 1K+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 
Grid Gallery – for Photo Gallery, Image Gallery & Portfolio 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 
Flexi Post Grid 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 
Classic Blog Grid 3K+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 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.