wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “json”
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 “json”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 of the top 20.
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
BBH Custom Schema – Add Custom JSON-LD to Your Website shows at wp.org #5 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 900+ 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
Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce places #10 on merit, 5.0★ from 350 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Get Use APIs – JSON Content Importer 5K+ · 4.9★ (78)
wp.org #1 2 
TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625)
wp.org #7 ↑2 5 too low 3 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #8 5 too low 4 
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #10 ↑2 6 too low 5 
JSON API Auth 600+ · 4.7★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449)
wp.org #12 ↑1 6 too low 7 
Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453)
wp.org #11 ↑4 4 too low 8 
JSON API User 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #4 4 too high 9 
All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #13 ↓2 4 too low 10 Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce 100K+ · 5.0★ (350)
wp.org #18 ↓1 8 too low 11 
WP Recipe Maker 50K+ · 5.0★ (356) heavy footprint
wp.org #17 6 too low 12 
ECS – Ele Custom Skin for Elementor 100K+ · 4.6★ (117)
wp.org #16 ↑8 4 too low 13 
Export All URLs 50K+ · 4.6★ (94)
wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too low 14 
LottieFiles – JSON Based Animation Lottie & Bodymovin for Elementor 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↑1 8 too high 15 
JSON-LD Breadcrumbs 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #2 13 too high 16 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #23 7 too low 17 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too low 18 
Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – CTX Feed – Support 220+ Shopping, AI & Social Channels 90K+ · 4.6★ (838) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 3 too low 19 
Structured Content (JSON-LD) #wpsc 30K+ · 4.6★ (25)
wp.org #14 5 too high 20 
Disable WP REST API 30K+ · 4.8★ (36)
wp.org #19 1 too high 21 
WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API 10K+ · 5.0★ (32)
wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 
Export Media URLs 7K+ · 5.0★ (29)
wp.org #22 ↓2 23 BBH Custom Schema – Add Custom JSON-LD to Your Website 900+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↑1 18 too high 24 
Blocks Export Import – Backup & Move Gutenberg Blocks as JSON 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↑1 15 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.