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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “http2”

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 “http2”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 17. 3 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.

Ranked above its merit

Sofinco 3XCB shows at wp.org #11 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Fast Velocity Minify places #4 on merit, 4.6★ from 195 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Page Speed Optimizer: HTTP/2 Push, Async JavaScript, and Defer CSS 6K+ · 4.7★ (64) wp.org #1 2 Cloudflare 200K+ · 3.5★ (181) wp.org #2 3 Merge + Minify + Refresh 3K+ · 4.2★ (68) wp.org #3 4 Fast Velocity Minify 30K+ · 4.6★ (195) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5 Blocksy Companion 300K+ · 4.7★ (93) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 Buy one Get one Free – BOGO discount rule maker for WooCommerce 400+ · 3.5★ (26) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 JCH Optimize 4K+ · 4.4★ (69) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 5centsCDN – WordPress CDN Plugin 10+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 HTTP/2 Server Push 800+ · 4.2★ (11) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 RocketCDN – WordPress CDN Plugin 100+ · 3.0★ (5) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 Anonympins Bot Mitigation with Proof-of-Work — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Better Resource Hints 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 5 too low 13 Advanced WPPerformance 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 StoreHelper Kit – WooCommerce Bulk Edit, AI ALT Text & SEO Toolkit 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Aims AI Scheduler – Smart Auto Blogging & Post Publisher — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Sofinco 3XCB 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 LH HTTP/2 Server Push 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 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.