wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “grow”
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 “grow”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Clio Grow Form shows at wp.org #7 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 701 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833)
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #4 ↓3 1 too high 6 
MailMunch – Grow your Email List 5K+ · 4.7★ (241)
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27820)
wp.org #10 ↑7 3 too low 8 
MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435)
wp.org #8 ↑1 9 
Easy Digital Downloads – eCommerce Payments and Subscriptions made easy 40K+ · 4.7★ (591)
wp.org #11 ↑4 2 too low 10 
Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167)
wp.org #9 ↑3 1 too high 11 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #13 ↑1 2 too low 12 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701)
wp.org #20 8 too low 13 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322)
wp.org #21 ↑2 7 too low 15 
Hustle – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Optins, Popups 80K+ · 4.4★ (859)
wp.org #22 7 too low 16 
Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1397)
wp.org #23 7 too low 17 
Forms for Mailchimp by Optin Cat – Grow Your MailChimp List 2K+ · 4.4★ (77)
wp.org #15 ↓4 2 too high 18 
Index WP MySQL For Speed 50K+ · 4.8★ (99)
wp.org #24 6 too low 19 
Google for WooCommerce 800K+ · 2.7★ (268)
wp.org #12 ↓6 7 too high 20 
Meta pixel for WordPress 400K+ · 2.7★ (164)
wp.org #19 1 too high 21 
Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) host-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 7 too high 22 
Block for Mailchimp – grow your email list with signup forms 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Clio Grow Form 1K+ · 2.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑1 16 too high 24 
Grow for WordPress 10K+ · 2.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓6 8 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.