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

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 “layout”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 3 plugins are 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

Flexible Layout Preview Image for ACF shows at wp.org #9 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 700+ 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

WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 14378 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7308) wp.org #1 2 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2644) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Smart Grid-Layout Design for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.5★ (72) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #4 5 WP Blog Post Layouts 9K+ · 4.7★ (83) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Gravity Booster – Styles & Layouts for Gravity Forms 30K+ · 4.6★ (199) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1678) wp.org #16 ↓5 9 too low 8 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14378) wp.org #22 ↑2 14 too low 9 Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4122) wp.org #17 ↓1 7 too low 11 Layouts for WPBakery 3K+ · 4.4★ (9) wp.org #5 6 too high 12 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2526) wp.org #23 ↓3 11 too low 13 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (991) wp.org #21 ↓1 8 too low 14 Product Layouts for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #7 7 too high 15 Layouts for Elementor 1K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Grids: Layout builder for WordPress 2K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 Blogmentor – Blog Layouts for Elementor 4K+ · 4.7★ (7) wp.org #12 ↑2 5 too high 18 Layouts for Divi 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 Gallery Block by Galleryberg: Lightbox with Tiles, Masonry, Square, & Justified Layouts 2K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Layout Recompiler for Brizy 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↑3 5 too high 21 Cards Layout – showcase content in responsive card grids 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↑1 10 too high 22 Post Layouts 900+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #14 ↑1 8 too high 23 Info Cards – Add Text and Media in Card Layouts 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Flexible Layout Preview Image for ACF 700+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 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.