wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “item menu”

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 “item menu”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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

Menu Item Types shows at wp.org #16 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 100+ 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

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) places #11 on merit, 5.0★ from 423 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 signals wp.org

Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312) wp.org #2 ↑1 3

Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882) wp.org #3 ↓1 4

Menu Icons by Themeisle – Add Icons to Navigation Menus 100K+ · 4.9★ (851) wp.org #4 5

Nav Menu Roles 70K+ · 4.9★ (219) wp.org #5 ↑5 6

Responsive Menu – Mobile Menu & Hamburger Menu Builder 70K+ · 4.5★ (574) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7

WP Mobile Menu – The Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menu 70K+ · 4.7★ (256) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8

WP Menu Icons 20K+ · 4.9★ (139) wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too low 9

WP Responsive Menu 30K+ · 4.3★ (100) wp.org #9 10

Menu Cart for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.6★ (99) wp.org #12 ↓4 2 too low 11

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #23 12 too low 12

Float menu – awesome floating side menu 30K+ · 4.4★ (41) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 M Menu Item Duplicator 2K+ · 3.8★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↓1 7 too high 14

Advanced Sidebar Menu 10K+ · 4.5★ (37) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15

Iks Menu – WordPress Category Accordion Menu & FAQs 10K+ · 5.0★ (27) wp.org #17 2 too low 16

Simple Floating Menu 10K+ · 5.0★ (38) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 M Menu Duplicator 10K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #13 4 too high 18

WP Bottom Menu 20K+ · 4.5★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #19 1 too low 19

WP Menu Cart 8K+ · 4.8★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too low 20

Ollie Menu Designer 6K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↑1 6 too high 21

Admin Menu Search 3K+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22

Restaurant Menu and Food Ordering 2K+ · 4.5★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 4 too high 23

Menu In Post 2K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

Menu Item Types 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews 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.