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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “import api”

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 “import api”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

WP All Import – Import SEO Settings for Rank Math SEO shows at wp.org #7 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 4940 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259) wp.org #1 2 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too low 4 One Click Demo Import 1M+ · 4.3★ (79) wp.org #2 ↓1 2 too high 5 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too low 6 WP All Import – Product Import for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (276) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #10 ↑7 3 too low 8 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #18 ↓2 10 too low 9 WP All Import – Import Add-On for ACF 50K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 too high 10 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #22 ↓2 12 too low 11 Import Social Events 3K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too low 12 Advanced Import 80K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 7 too high 13 WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API 10K+ · 5.0★ (32) wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too low 14 Import Eventbrite Events 3K+ · 4.5★ (52) wp.org #17 ↓2 3 too low 15 S2W – Import Shopify to WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.7★ (42) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16 Datafeedr API 4K+ · 4.0★ (13) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too high 17 WP All Import – Import SEO Settings for Rank Math SEO 6K+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #7 ↓1 10 too high 18 Post Export Import with Media 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #23 5 too low 19 WP All Import – Import SEO Settings for Yoast SEO 20K+ · 2.8★ (11) wp.org #11 ↓2 8 too high 20 WP All Import – Job Listing Import for WP Job Manager 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↓2 8 too high 21 WP All Import – Import SEO Settings for All In One SEO 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↓3 7 too high 22 WP All Import – Listings Import for Listify 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too high 23 Export/Import Media – CSV Media Library Import & Export 1K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 WP All Import – Property Import for RealHomes 700+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓1 4 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.