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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “json toolkit”

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 toolkit”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Checkout & Store Toolkit for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #6 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 800+ 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

GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 716 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 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 affiliate-toolkit – Multi-Network Affiliate & Amazon Product Display 2K+ · 4.5★ (22) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder 600K+ · 4.9★ (4514) wp.org #13 ↓3 10 too low 4 Toolkit for Polylang – Translation Inspector & Duplicate Content 10K+ · 4.5★ (33) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 WP Extended – Modular WordPress Toolkit 600+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Meta Box – A Framework for Dynamic Websites 500K+ · 4.8★ (165) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 404 to 301 – Redirect Manager, 301 Redirection, 404 Error Logs & 404 Monitoring 100K+ · 4.7★ (321) wp.org #15 ↓3 7 too low 9 Ninja Tables – Easy Data Table Builder 70K+ · 4.6★ (472) wp.org #17 ↓3 8 too low 10 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #23 ↓1 13 too low 11 Cozy Blocks – Website Builder & Business Growth Toolkit | Popups, Lead Forms & Inbox 6K+ · 4.6★ (21) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 Nexter Extension – Security, Performance, Code Snippets & Site Toolkit 10K+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 BBH Custom Schema – Add Custom JSON-LD to Your Website 900+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 10 too high 14 WPMasterToolKit (WPMTK) – All in one plugin 5K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #21 ↓3 7 too low 15 Agency Toolkit 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 11 too high 16 VigIA – AI Visibility, Analytics & Control 2K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #22 ↓3 6 too low 17 ZoloBlocks – Advanced Gutenberg Blocks, Website Builder & Page Design Toolkit 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #18 ↓3 1 too low 18 Toolkit for LearnDash LMS – Quiz Themes, Analytics & Answer Control 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↓1 10 too high 19 Checkout & Store Toolkit for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↓1 13 too high 20 Travel Booking Toolkit 2K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓2 9 too high 21 PowerSuite Modular Admin Toolkit 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 ↓3 2 too high 22 Ultra Web Hosting Performance Toolkit 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 MusicNetics Artist Toolkit 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓3 7 too high 24 StoreHelper Kit – WooCommerce Bulk Edit, AI ALT Text & SEO Toolkit 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓4

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.