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

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 “handmade”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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

HANDMADE – Dropshipping for Etsy and WooCommerce shows at wp.org #3 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 30+ 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 signals wp.org

Variation Swatches for WooCommerce – Color, Image & Size Swatches 200K+ · 4.6★ (51) wp.org #1 2

Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) wp.org #2 3

Faview – Virtual Reviews for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.6★ (54) wp.org #4 1 too low 4

EXMAGE – WordPress Image Links 5K+ · 5.0★ (33) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5

CURCY – Multi Currency for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.3★ (227) wp.org #8 ↑3 3 too low 6

Thanko Thank You Page Customizer for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.5★ (37) wp.org #6 ↓1 7

Bulky – Bulk Edit Products for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.6★ (53) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too low 8

Choosly – Product Variations Swatches for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (76) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9

EU Cookies Bar for WordPress 9K+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #7 2 too high 10

Mailonix – Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (105) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too low 11

Notivo Notification for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.3★ (80) wp.org #11 ↑1 12

S2W – Import Shopify to WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.7★ (42) wp.org #15 3 too low 13

Sizor Product Size Chart For WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.3★ (32) wp.org #13 ↓3 14

Trakoo – Orders Tracking for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (58) wp.org #22 8 too low 15

FluentCart A New Era of eCommerce – Faster, Lighter, and Simpler 9K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #17 ↑4 2 too low 16

Countix Sales Countdown Timer 5K+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17

PRENA – Product Pre-Orders for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too high 18

HANDMADE – Dropshipping for Etsy and WooCommerce 30+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 15 too high 19

Advanced Product Information for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20

WPC Product Quantity for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.0★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21

Bopo – WooCommerce Product Bundle Builder 900+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22

Clear Autoptimize Cache Automatically 4K+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too high 23

Upzell Checkout Upsell Funnel for WooCommerce 600+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

ChinaDS – Tmall-Taobao Dropshipping for WooCommerce 100+ · 4.0★ (2) thin reviews 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.