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

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

WP All Import – Job Listing Import for WP Job Manager shows at wp.org #9 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 2K+ 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

Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 7519 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504) wp.org #1 ↑3 2 Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #8 ↑2 3 too low 6 One Click Demo Import 1M+ · 4.3★ (79) wp.org #3 ↓1 3 too high 7 Customizer Export/Import 100K+ · 4.8★ (115) wp.org #7 8 WP Import Export Lite 40K+ · 4.0★ (113) wp.org #10 ↑9 2 too low 9 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #21 ↓3 12 too low 10 Product Import Export for WooCommerce – CSV Product Importer & Exporter 80K+ · 4.6★ (413) wp.org #11 ↓3 1 too low 11 Name Directory 2K+ · 4.9★ (81) wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too low 12 Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too low 13 Directorist: AI-Powered Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads 20K+ · 4.6★ (698) wp.org #19 ↑1 6 too low 14 HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (221) wp.org #24 10 too low 15 Classified Listing – AI-Powered Classified ads & Business Directory 9K+ · 4.8★ (138) wp.org #18 ↑4 3 too low 16 Import Users from CSV 10K+ · 4.1★ (44) wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too high 17 Advanced Import 80K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #6 11 too high 18 Comments Import & Export 2K+ · 4.9★ (68) wp.org #22 ↓6 4 too low 19 Web Directory plugin Free – AI powered 300+ · 4.1★ (20) wp.org #12 ↑1 7 too high 20 Next Active Directory Integration 2K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Import / Export Customizer Settings 50K+ · 4.7★ (6) wp.org #13 ↓2 8 too high 22 WP All Import – Job Listing Import for WP Job Manager 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 13 too high 23 WP All Import – Listings Import for Listify 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 Ansar Import – One Click Starter Sites – for WordPress Themes 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 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.