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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “id verification”

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 “id verification”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

VerifyPass Community ID shows at wp.org #4 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 200+ 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

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 miniOrange OTP Login, Verification and SMS Notifications 5K+ · 4.7★ (439) wp.org #1 2 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too low 3 Identity Verification for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #3 4 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #16 ↑7 12 too low 5 Two Factor 100K+ · 4.7★ (209) wp.org #14 9 too low 6 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #18 12 too low 7 Advanced Age Verification Popup 700+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 5 too high 8 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #15 ↓2 7 too low 9 Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445) wp.org #21 12 too low 10 SMS Alert – SMS Notifications & OTP Login, COD Verification, Abandoned Cart Recovery 3K+ · 4.6★ (35) wp.org #10 11 CPS | Age Verification 800+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Double Opt-In for Contact Form 7 – Secure, GDPR-Compliant Email Verification 1K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Age Verification for your checkout page. Verify your customer’s identity 600+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Academic Certificate Verification – Certificate Management & Certificate Validator 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 VerifyPass Community ID 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↑1 11 too high 16 Clearout Email Validator – Real-Time Email Verification on WordPress Forms 500+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #20 ↓1 4 too low 17 Add Pinterest conversion tags for Pinterest Ads + Site verification 1K+ · 3.3★ (9) wp.org #19 ↑3 2 too low 18 Cloudi7 ID Card Generator 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 9 too high 19 Shufti | Identity Verification Service 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↑3 8 too high 20 Edutain Certificate Validator – Certificate Verification, QR Code & Digital Credentials 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 WALL ID Pay By Bank 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓1 9 too high 22 Pay4All Age Verification – For WooCommerce & Pay4All Shop 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 Employee Verification & Document Authentication 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↑1 24 WooCommerce Shipping 70K+ · 2.0★ (18) wp.org #24 ↓4

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.