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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “hide toolbar”

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 “hide toolbar”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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 it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

W

Ranked above its merit

WP Extend Toolbar shows at wp.org #14 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 100+ 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

Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 441 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #1 2 Auto Hide Admin Bar 3K+ · 4.8★ (32) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles – Disable the WordPress Toolbar by Role or Capability 20K+ · 3.9★ (20) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Accessibility Widget by OneTap – Easy One-Click Accessibility Toolbar 60K+ · 4.9★ (80) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins 10K+ · 4.3★ (30) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 File Manager 1M+ · 4.6★ (1492) wp.org #15 9 too low 7 PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143) wp.org #13 ↓3 6 too low 8 Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution 100K+ · 4.8★ (441) wp.org #20 ↓2 12 too low 9 Admin Bar Editor – Toolbar Customization with User Role based access & Custom menus 3K+ · 4.4★ (24) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Hide Dashboard Notifications 20K+ · 3.9★ (33) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 Bottom Admin Toolbar 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #5 6 too high 12 Hide WP Toolbar 900+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) wp.org #19 6 too low 14 Category Posts Block 40K+ · 4.5★ (79) wp.org #23 ↓3 9 too low 15 WP Custom Admin Interface 30K+ · 4.7★ (160) wp.org #18 ↓2 3 too low 16 My WP Customize Admin/Frontend 8K+ · 4.3★ (16) wp.org #11 ↑1 5 too high 17 Fixed HTML Toolbar 40+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #10 ↑2 7 too high 18 Real3D Flipbook – 3D Flipbook, PDF Flipbook, PDF Viewer, PDF Embedder 10K+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Wonder PDF Embed 8K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 Real Accessibility: Accessibility Widget & Toolbar 1K+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 WP Hide Show Featured Image 3K+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too high 22 PDF viewer for Elementor & Gutenberg 10K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 MM Admin Bar Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 W WP Extend Toolbar 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓2 10 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.