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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “interactive pdf”

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 “interactive pdf”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 4 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

PDF Embed Block – share documents right inside your posts shows at wp.org #4 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 4K+ 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

Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution places #12 on merit, 4.4★ from 590 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer 200K+ · 4.9★ (194) wp.org #1 2 3D FlipBook – PDF Embedder, PDF Flipbook Viewer, Flipbook Image Gallery 70K+ · 4.8★ (182) wp.org #2 3 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143) wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 PDF Poster – Let visitors read PDF’s without leaving the page 20K+ · 4.5★ (149) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Zakeke Interactive Product Designer for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (131) wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too low 7 Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Ultra Addons for Contact Form 7 60K+ · 4.8★ (107) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 PDF Generator for WordPress 1K+ · 4.6★ (39) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88) wp.org #17 ↑1 6 too low 12 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #23 ↓1 11 too low 13 Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools 30K+ · 4.6★ (535) wp.org #19 6 too low 14 3D Viewer – Turn Product Pages into Interactive 3D Experiences 9K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #14 15 Flipbook PDF Viewer & Embedder 300+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #9 ↓1 6 too high 16 PDF Embed Block – share documents right inside your posts 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 ↑1 12 too high 17 Custom iFrame – Embed PDFs, Videos, and External Content in WordPress (Elementor & Gutenberg) 4K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 Interactive Real Estate – Floor Plan & Building Visualizer 30+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Free PDF to Flipbook 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 9 too high 20 3D Viewer Block – Bring Your Products to Life with Interactive 3D 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 TNC FlipBook 3D – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF Viewer, PDF Embedder 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Document Embedder Addons for Elementor – Embed Documents in Elementor Websites 6K+ · 3.7★ (7) wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too high 23 PDF Rack – 3D Flipbook, PDF Viewer & Embed PDF 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓3 1 too low 24 PDF Flipbook, WPBakery Addon – Unreal FlipBook 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #22 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.