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

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 “ical”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 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

Easy Events Calendar : All-in-One Events Calendar with Social Event, Eventbrite, Meetup, Google & iCal Import Support shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 973 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #1 2 Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) wp.org #2 3 Appointment Hour Booking – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (524) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 WP Event Aggregator: Import Eventbrite events, Meetup events, social events and any iCal Events into Event Calendar 1K+ · 4.6★ (54) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too high 5 My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #5 ↓2 6 VS Event List 8K+ · 4.9★ (82) wp.org #9 ↓3 3 too low 7 Events Made Easy 1K+ · 4.6★ (111) wp.org #11 ↑1 4 too low 8 Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (973) wp.org #20 ↓9 12 too low 9 Event Organiser 20K+ · 4.6★ (140) wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too high 10 Import Social Events 3K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too low 11 SportsPress – Sports Club & League Manager 10K+ · 4.7★ (369) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 Eventin – Events Calendar, Tickets, Registration, Booking & WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (413) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too low 13 WP Time Slots Booking Form 1K+ · 5.0★ (41) wp.org #12 ↑1 1 too high 14 WP Simple Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.8★ (227) wp.org #19 ↓1 5 too low 15 Appointment Booking Calendar 1K+ · 4.2★ (92) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too low 16 Simple Google Calendar Outlook Events Widget 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #7 ↑1 9 too high 17 Hydrogen Calendar Embeds 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #6 ↑1 11 too high 18 VikBooking Hotel Booking Engine & PMS 8K+ · 4.8★ (61) wp.org #18 ↑3 19 Add to Calendar Button 3K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #22 ↓2 3 too low 20 Tockify Events Calendar 2K+ · 4.5★ (20) wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too low 21 Vachr Short-Term Rental Reservations 30+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #15 6 too high 22 Easy Events Calendar : All-in-One Events Calendar with Social Event, Eventbrite, Meetup, Google & iCal Import Support 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 ↓1 12 too high 23 Termin-Kalender 500+ · 4.2★ (9) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Host Domination Booking Engine: Calendar Sync & Reservation System 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #23 ↓1 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.