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

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 “inline”, 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

Inline Image Base64 – inline specific images into the HTML shows at wp.org #6 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Admin Columns places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 1652 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #2 3

Inline Image Upload for BBPress 3K+ · 4.6★ (65) wp.org #3 4

SVG Support 1M+ · 4.8★ (356) wp.org #4 ↑6 5

Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428) wp.org #10 ↓2 5 too low 6

AJAX Login and Registration modal popup + inline form 3K+ · 4.7★ (120) wp.org #8 ↑9 2 too low 7

Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104) wp.org #7 ↓1 8

Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #17 ↑2 9 too low 9

Admin Columns 100K+ · 4.9★ (1652) wp.org #19 ↓5 10 too low 10

W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #16 6 too low 11

WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #18 ↑3 7 too low 12

Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too low 13

Comments – wpDiscuz 60K+ · 4.7★ (581) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 ↓2 14

Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882) wp.org #24 ↓4 10 too low 15

Insert Headers And Footers 200K+ · 5.0★ (135) wp.org #20 ↓4 5 too low 16

Modern Footnotes 6K+ · 4.8★ (32) wp.org #21 ↓3 5 too low 17

Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #23 ↓8 6 too low 18

Breeze Cache 300K+ · 3.6★ (133) wp.org #22 4 too low 19

Inline Tweet Sharer – Twitter Sharing Plugin 300+ · 5.0★ (11) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓3 4 too high 20

No unsafe-inline 200+ · 5.0★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓2 9 too high 21

MrSeokar Inline Related Products for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #9 12 too high 22 I Inline Tooltips 70+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #5 ↓1 17 too high 23

Inline Context – Footnotes, Tooltips & Glossary Notes 40+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓5 11 too high 24

Inline Image Base64 – inline specific images into the HTML 90+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↓1 18 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.