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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “injected”

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 “injected”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 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

Lead Forensics shows at wp.org #6 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Simple Revisions Delete places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 50 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) wp.org #1 2 Export All URLs 50K+ · 4.6★ (94) wp.org #2 3 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #4 ↑2 1 too low 4 Head, Footer and Post Injections 200K+ · 4.9★ (735) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 OMGF | GDPR/DSGVO Compliant, Faster Google Fonts. Easy. 300K+ · 4.7★ (213) wp.org #5 6 API KEY for Google Maps 30K+ · 4.9★ (55) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Post/Page Specific Custom Code 6K+ · 4.6★ (42) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Options for Twenty Twenty-One 6K+ · 4.9★ (64) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Simple Revisions Delete 10K+ · 4.9★ (50) wp.org #17 7 too low 11 Flying Images: Optimize and Lazy Load Images for Faster Page Speed 2K+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 Options for Twenty Twenty 3K+ · 4.7★ (31) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 Advanced Views – Display Framework – Gutenberg/Elementor/Shortcode 3K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #19 ↑3 6 too low 14 EasyFonts – Host Google Fonts Locally, Fast & Auto-Optimize, GDPR Compliant 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Lead Forensics 4K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #6 ↓2 9 too high 16 EU Order Withdrawal Button for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #9 7 too high 17 BBH Custom Schema – Add Custom JSON-LD to Your Website 900+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 Contactus 400+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 ↓2 3 too low 19 Ele Conditions for Elementor 2K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Reset Customizer 700+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 S Shortcodes in Sidebar 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 CMS ADMINS Security Check Report 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Ads for Genesis 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Source Lens – Code Finder 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 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.