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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “image labeling”

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 “image labeling”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

WP Before After Image Slider – Interactive Image and Video Comparison Plugin for WordPress shows at wp.org #3 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 1K+ 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

Advanced Product Fields (Product Addons) for WooCommerce places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 284 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Branda – White Label & Branding, Free Login Page Customizer 10K+ · 4.5★ (30) wp.org #1 2 Interactive Image Map Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #2 3 Ultimate Addons for Beaver Builder (UABB) 20K+ · 5.0★ (332) wp.org #9 ↓1 6 too low 4 Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641) wp.org #6 ↓2 2 too low 5 MainWP Child – Securely Connects to the MainWP Dashboard to Manage Multiple Sites 700K+ · 5.0★ (71) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Photo Gallery by Re Gallery: Responsive Image Gallery with AI SEO 700+ · 5.0★ (22) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 We’re Open! 5K+ · 5.0★ (45) wp.org #7 ↓1 8 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #18 ↑2 10 too low 9 Quiz Maker, Poll Maker & Survey Maker by Opinion Stage 6K+ · 4.4★ (277) wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too low 10 Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) wp.org #10 ↓1 11 Advanced Product Fields (Product Addons) for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.8★ (284) wp.org #24 ↓3 13 too low 12 Web Accessibility (formally known as Ally) – WCAG Scanning, Guided Fixes, Usability Widget 500K+ · 2.9★ (162) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too high 13 WP Accessibility 60K+ · 4.8★ (68) wp.org #19 ↓1 6 too low 14 White Label – WordPress Custom Admin, Custom Login Page, and Custom Dashboard 10K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #14 ↓1 15 Search in Place 3K+ · 4.9★ (64) wp.org #22 ↓3 7 too low 16 WP Before After Image Slider – Interactive Image and Video Comparison Plugin for WordPress 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 13 too high 17 Friendly Captcha for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (18) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too high 18 Juicer.io: Effortlessly embed, curate, and aggregate social media feeds into your website 8K+ · 4.2★ (29) wp.org #23 ↓1 5 too low 19 Enfants IMG Performer 40+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↑2 7 too high 20 WP ADA Compliance Check Basic 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #13 ↓2 7 too high 21 WPC Badge Management for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 OznaczAI – AI Image Disclosure for EU AI Act 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓3 7 too high 23 One Step AI Image Marker 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Axolotl AI Act Image Labeling — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓4 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.