wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “headway”
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 “headway”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 of the top 19. 3 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
OpenHook shows at wp.org #7 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
iubenda | All-in-one Compliance for GDPR / CCPA Cookie Consent + more places #4 on merit, 4.7★ from 397 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Dark Mode – Improve Accessibility with AI Powered Dark Theme 20K+ · 4.5★ (391)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
SEO Data Transporter 2K+ · 4.4★ (31)
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Easy Property Listings 5K+ · 4.7★ (112) not PHP-current
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 iubenda | All-in-one Compliance for GDPR / CCPA Cookie Consent + more 200K+ · 4.7★ (397)
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
FlexStock – Product Stock Sync with Google Sheets for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.5★ (22) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
FlexTable – Data Table Sync with Google Sheets 3K+ · 4.6★ (35)
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission 20K+ · 4.1★ (537) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 
Project Manager – AI Powered Project Management, Task Management, Kanban Board & Time Tracker 5K+ · 3.8★ (187)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
ERP: Complete HR, Accounting & CRM Suite Built for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.4★ (149) not PHP-current
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 
Easy Video Reviews – Testimonial Grid & Social Proof 100+ · 3.8★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #6 4 too high 11 
Diverse Solutions IDX Real Estate Listings & MLS Search 1K+ · 3.2★ (66) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #12 1 too low 12 OpenHook 1K+ · 3.7★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #7 5 too high 13 H Headway Leaf: Navigation Leaf 30+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 1 too low 14 H Headway Leaf: Affiliate Leaf 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 1 too low 15 H Headway Leaf: Gravity Forms Leaf 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 1 too low 16 H Headway Views 40+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 3 too high 17 H headwaythemes-filter-wrapper — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 18 M Media Library Shortcode 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 19 P Post Countdown 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #19 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.