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

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 “hsl”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 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.

Ranked above its merit

Sidcraft Page Builder w/ AI MCP shows at wp.org #13 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 9 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

Edwiser Bridge – WordPress Moodle Integration places #5 on merit, 4.5★ from 82 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 OXP Breaking News Ticker 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #1 2 Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428) wp.org #16 ↑1 14 too low 3 Custom Login Page Customizer 50K+ · 4.9★ (476) wp.org #20 ↑1 17 too low 4 Utility for GeneratePress 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Edwiser Bridge – WordPress Moodle Integration 4K+ · 4.5★ (82) wp.org #24 19 too low 6 Color Palette Block 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Block Responsive – Make Editor Blocks Responsive Easily 800+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #19 ↑1 12 too low 8 Kashida Color Library — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Neyatek CRM — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Better Chat Support for Messenger 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #21 ↑1 11 too low 11 tsParticles WP Block 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 Webtaru Secure Login Rescue — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↑1 5 too high 13 Color Picker for Elementor Forms — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓1 5 too high 14 Keyless Auth – Login without Passwords 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 5 too high 15 AdX Ad Inserter – Adsense and Ad Manager Ads 80+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↑1 8 too low 16 Doohickey's Dev Tools — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 6 too high 17 Iridys Palette Extender — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 Powdi Course Page Builder for Tutor and Divi — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 Color Theme Manager for Divi — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 5 too high 20 Expandable Row for Beaver Builder 900+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #18 ↑1 2 too high 21 Atomic Framework Forge for Elementor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 6 too high 22 Sidcraft Page Builder w/ AI MCP — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 9 too high 23 Axiom Blocks – Page Builder Toolkit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too high 24 A ACF Color Swatches 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↑1 2 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.