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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “ip2location”

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 “ip2location”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

IP2Map shows at wp.org #14 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

YayCurrency – WooCommerce Multi-Currency Switcher places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 112 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 IP2Location Country Blocker 30K+ · 4.2★ (127) wp.org #1 2 IP2Location Redirection 7K+ · 4.3★ (43) wp.org #2 3 Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (972) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 YayCurrency – WooCommerce Multi-Currency Switcher 8K+ · 4.8★ (112) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 IP Location Block 10K+ · 4.5★ (35) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 IP2Location Tags 200+ · 3.7★ (9) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (100) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 IP2Location World Clock 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 IP2Location Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 atec Stats 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 11 IP2Location Variables 100+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 IP2Location Hello Greeting 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 IP2Phrase 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 ArkHost Security Pack — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 SentraIP 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 16 IP2CurrencyConverter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 S Sovaryx Login Security — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 Wonderful Geoblocking Countries — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too high 19 Techbox Login Security – Limit Login Attempts, Brute Force & Secure Login — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 coreActivity: Activity Logging for WordPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 Universal WP Lead Tracking 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 XYZ Age Verification — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 IP2Map 10+ · 1.0★ (2) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 IPLocationTools 10+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #16 8 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.