Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “heif”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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

WebP Image Paster shows at wp.org #14 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its — 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

Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block places #5 on merit, 5.0★ from 88 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Kraken.io Image Optimizer – Compress, Convert to WebP & AVIF, Resize & Bulk Optimize 10K+ · 4.5★ (119) wp.org #5 ↓1 4 too low 2 HEIC Support 4K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Images Optimize and Upload CF7 700+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Squeeze – Browser-Based Image Compression & WebP Converter (No API, No Limits) 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ · 5.0★ (88) wp.org #24 ↓1 19 too low 6 UWH Image Optimizer & Converter 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Flux Media Optimizer – Image & Video Optimization by Flux Plugins 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↑2 1 too high 8 Tanupom In-Place Converter for WebP 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9 Web Pixel Studio Image Compressor 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too high 10 Real Simple Avatar 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↓2 2 too high 11 ImageCraft – Image Optimizer, WebP/AVIF & AI Alt Text 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 AVIF Local Support 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓2 1 too high 13 ImReso: Unlimited Target-Size Image Compressor 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑2 1 too high 14 Stintlief WebP Converter 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↓2 4 too high 15 MiraQlum Image Optimizer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑6 2 too high 16 Opti Ninja Image Optimizer – Compress Images, WebP & AVIF 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too high 17 PicPrune Form Uploads — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Growthhive MIME Upload Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 WebP Image Paster — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓3 5 too high 20 ImageWoc — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 21 Nimblura Image Optimizer for WebP — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 YourImageShare Media Offload — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Wiwercy Web Image Converter — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 HEIC to JPEG 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓1 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.