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

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 resize”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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

Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF shows at wp.org #10 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 1M+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.7★ average from 81 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Perfect Images: Regenerate Thumbnails, Image Sizes, WebP & AVIF places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 279 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 Smart Image Resize for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.6★ (82) wp.org #1 2 EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Resize Image After Upload 80K+ · 4.8★ (56) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053) wp.org #6 ↓2 1 too low 6 ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 300K+ · 4.5★ (830) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF 900K+ · 4.3★ (1656) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 reSmush.it : The original free image compressor and optimizer plugin 100K+ · 4.3★ (166) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Kraken.io Image Optimizer – Compress, Convert to WebP & AVIF, Resize & Bulk Optimize 10K+ · 4.5★ (119) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 Canvas Image Resize 1K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #4 ↑2 7 too high 12 Perfect Images: Regenerate Thumbnails, Image Sizes, WebP & AVIF 60K+ · 4.8★ (279) wp.org #20 8 too low 13 Image Widget 100K+ · 4.9★ (287) wp.org #22 9 too low 14 Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #24 10 too low 15 Robo Gallery – Photo & Image Slider 40K+ · 4.3★ (406) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 WP Image Zoom 10K+ · 4.3★ (119) wp.org #16 17 Cimo – Free Instant Image Optimizer & WebP Converter 10K+ · 4.9★ (20) wp.org #15 2 too high 18 TinyPNG Image Optimization – Image Compression JPEG & PNG | Convert to WebP & AVIF 100K+ · 4.5★ (181) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 WP SVG Images 30K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 Image Gallery 3K+ · 4.4★ (32) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Compress, Resize & Lazy Load Images – WPvivid Image Optimization 10K+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Image Optimization For SEO 3K+ · 3.7★ (12) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF 1M+ · 1.7★ (81) wp.org #10 13 too high 24 Resize Image Before Upload 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 10 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.