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

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 “intro”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 3 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

Amedea – Unique Design Elements for Elementor shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 500+ 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

Media Library Folders places #8 on merit, 4.3★ from 465 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 Qi Addons For Elementor 200K+ · 4.8★ (205) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Intro Tour Tutorial DeepPresentation 200+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4 Slider Hero with Video Background, Animation 3K+ · 4.8★ (34) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Get Use APIs – JSON Content Importer 5K+ · 4.9★ (78) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6 Essential Real Estate 7K+ · 4.3★ (52) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Stylish Price List – Price Table Builder & QR Code Restaurant Menu 3K+ · 4.7★ (117) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Media Library Folders 10K+ · 4.3★ (465) wp.org #23 15 too low 9 Echo Knowledge Base – Documentation, FAQs, Chat & Smart Search 10K+ · 4.9★ (124) wp.org #21 12 too low 10 Simple Tour Guide 200+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – RexFeed – Sell on 200+ Shopping Channels 10K+ · 4.8★ (256) wp.org #18 ↑5 7 too low 12 Vitepos – Point of Sale (POS) for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (54) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too low 13 ContentBot AI Writer (AI Content) 400+ · 4.7★ (19) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 Mini Cart Drawer for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Feedbucket – Website Feedback Tool 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Portfolio – Filterable Masonry Portfolio Gallery for Professionals 200+ · 4.1★ (14) wp.org #22 ↓2 6 too low 17 Email OTP Authenticator – Login, Register & 2FA 100+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too low 18 Customize Private & Protected: Password Form & Prefix 400+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #11 ↓1 7 too high 19 Lean Player – Video and Audio Player with Playlist for WordPress, Elementor and Gutenberg 2K+ · 4.7★ (6) wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too high 20 HappyVR – Virtual Tour Builder & 360 Panorama Viewer 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↑3 10 too high 21 Tutor LMS BunnyNet Integration 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓2 8 too high 22 Amedea – Unique Design Elements for Elementor 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 15 too high 23 Aimogen – AI Content Writer, Chatbot, Editor and AI Automation for WordPress 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too high 24 JumpsuitAI – llms.txt + Markdown Endpoints 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓2

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.