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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “hot linking”

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 “hot linking”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

saidweekly shows at wp.org #15 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 8 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

Team Members – A WordPress Team Plugin with Gallery, Grid, Carousel, Slider, Table, List, and More places #8 on merit, 4.7★ from 91 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 Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 10K+ · 4.6★ (297) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 G GL Import External Images 700+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Content Egg – Affiliate Product Importer & Price Comparison 10K+ · 3.9★ (56) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 Magical Addons For Elementor ( Theme Builder, Header Footer Builder, Free Elementor Widgets, Elementor Templates Library ) 4K+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too low 5 Init Pulse For Discord – Webhooks, Roles, Instant 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 EthPress – Web3 Login 90+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #9 ↓3 3 too low 7 ExpressTechSoftwares Addon for MemberPress and Discord 200+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 Team Members – A WordPress Team Plugin with Gallery, Grid, Carousel, Slider, Table, List, and More 2K+ · 4.7★ (91) wp.org #24 ↓1 16 too low 9 Job Postings 10K+ · 4.4★ (58) wp.org #20 ↓1 11 too low 10 12 Step Meeting List 900+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #23 ↓1 13 too low 11 YOOAdmin 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #12 1 too low 12 GemBooking – Appointment Booking, Booking Calendar & Reservations 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↓1 7 too high 13 Rooster One 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↑1 14 Advanced Tools for Gravity Forms 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↑1 6 too high 15 Dynamic Post – AI Content – White Paper – Peer Review – Tax & Accounting Sites 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Sightkick — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 SheetLink Forms for Google Sheets and Excel 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 Offrinko — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 Npcink Workflow Toolbox — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 Clarity SEO 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 WP Lynx 30+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 Witarist AI Chat & Lead Capture — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too high 23 saidweekly — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 Route Finder — · 0.0★ (0) 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.