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

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

Stylish Scrolling Title shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 100+ 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

Zakeke Interactive Product Designer for WooCommerce places #2 on merit, 4.7★ from 131 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #1 2 Zakeke Interactive Product Designer for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (131) wp.org #8 ↑1 6 too low 3 Pixobe Coloring Book 100+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Product Size Charts Plugin for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.3★ (39) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 BMI Adult & Kid Calculator 700+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 WPS Bookings for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.5★ (43) wp.org #13 ↑1 7 too low 7 Importify – AI Dropshipping for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #18 ↑2 11 too low 8 Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #14 ↑1 6 too low 9 Store Locator for WordPress📍 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #9 ↑1 10 Riddle Quiz Maker – easily add quizzes with unlimited lead generation to your site 200+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 HT Slider For Elementor 20K+ · 3.8★ (12) wp.org #11 12 CC BMI Calculator 700+ · 3.3★ (4) wp.org #4 8 too high 13 SizeSync – Size Chart & Size Guide for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 10 too high 14 AI Search for WooCommerce — Semantic & Live Search 90+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #19 ↑2 5 too low 15 Feedify – Web Push Notifications 90+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↓2 5 too low 16 AI Search for WooCommerce – Semantic Search 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too high 17 Move Addons for Elementor 2K+ · 4.0★ (6) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too high 18 Stylish Scrolling Title 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 12 too high 19 SkipCash Payment Gateway 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓2 9 too high 20 ZOOZA 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 3 too high 21 R Roomvu Marketing 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓2 22 Product Size Charts Plugin for WooCommerce, Size Table, Size Chart Popup – WPBean 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 Kids English Alphabet — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 ProfileSwitch Lite – Family Accounts & Child Profiles 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.