wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “http:bl”
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 “http:bl”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 3 of the top 19. 5 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.
Buried gem
Zero Spam for WordPress places #3 on merit, 4.1★ from 143 reviews, but shows at wp.org #7. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Honeypot Toolkit 400+ · 4.3★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #1 2 
Bible Search and Audio / Biblia y Concordancia con Audio 100+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #2 3 Zero Spam for WordPress 20K+ · 4.1★ (143) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 
Brilliant Web-to-Lead for Salesforce 2K+ · 4.4★ (38) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk
wp.org #12 8 too low 5 
Orange Comfort+ accessibility toolbar for WordPress 20+ · 0.0★ (0) not PHP-current thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
WDOnline Content Sections — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #4 2 too high 7 
UiCore Blocks – Free WordPress Gutenberg Blocks 500+ · 3.7★ (3) heavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #5 2 too high 8 
TSO Swiss Knife – Advanced Maintenance & Developer Toolkit — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 A AP HoneyPot WordPress Plugin 90+ · 4.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 5 too low 10 
Museder RestoreOne 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #8 2 too high 11 
Zavora 360 — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #9 2 too high 12 P Pricestead Cost Calculators — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #10 2 too high 13 
Dox POS for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #11 2 too high 14 H http:BL Reloaded WordPress Plugin 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 1 too high 15 K Klan1 Common WP Functions 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 1 too low 16 S Strims integrator — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 2 too low 17 C Coinwidget Shortcode 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 2 too high 18 C Crypto-Currency Shortcode 10+ · 4.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 B Biblefox for WordPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure 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.