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

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 “hyperlinks”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 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.

Ranked above its merit

Free PDF to Flipbook shows at wp.org #7 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

AGCA – Custom Dashboard & Login Page places #9 on merit, 4.5★ from 64 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Hyperlink Group Block 7K+ · 4.3★ (14) wp.org #1 2 Wikipedia Preview 1K+ · 4.8★ (37) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 YaMaps for WordPress Plugin 10K+ · 4.8★ (40) wp.org #5 ↓2 2 too low 4 GDPR tools: Cookie notice + privacy 5K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Multiple Domain Mapping on Single Site 6K+ · 4.6★ (48) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 PDF Embedder – PDF Viewer & Embed PDF Files for WordPress 300K+ · 4.7★ (529) wp.org #13 ↓1 7 too low 7 Print My Blog – Print, PDF, & eBook Converter WordPress Plugin 8K+ · 4.8★ (115) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Author Box WP Lens 900+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #6 ↓2 2 too high 9 AGCA – Custom Dashboard & Login Page 20K+ · 4.5★ (64) wp.org #23 ↓1 14 too low 10 WP Colorbox 5K+ · 4.3★ (23) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too low 11 Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too high 12 Forms for Mailchimp by Optin Cat – Grow Your MailChimp List 2K+ · 4.4★ (77) wp.org #18 ↓1 6 too low 13 RPS Include Content 700+ · 4.9★ (18) wp.org #20 ↓2 7 too low 14 UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber 800+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 WebwinkelKeur: Webshop keurmerk & reviews for WordPress 4K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16 Stock market charts from finviz 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 ↓2 6 too high 17 GetResponse Forms by Optin Cat 1K+ · 4.9★ (9) wp.org #17 ↓1 18 Free PDF to Flipbook 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↓2 11 too high 19 SmartDoc to Post Importer 300+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #19 20 Hide Comment Author Link 1K+ · 4.1★ (9) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 ImageLinks – Interactive Image Builder with Hotspots 1K+ · 3.9★ (9) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too high 22 Linkz.ai – Automatic link previews on hover 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↓1 7 too high 23 Cryptex | E-Mail Address Protection 800+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24 WP fancybox 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) 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.