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

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 “le”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 4 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

WPS Child Theme Generator shows at wp.org #7 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 6K+ 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

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 397 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

WPS Hide Login 2M+ · 4.8★ (2111) wp.org #1 2

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #2 3

WPS Limit Login 100K+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #3 4

WPS Cleaner 10K+ · 4.3★ (99) wp.org #6 2 too low 5

Simple Login Log 5K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #4 1 too high 6

WPS Bidouille 9K+ · 4.9★ (54) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 1 too high 7

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #14 7 too low 8

WPS Menu Exporter 10K+ · 3.7★ (44) wp.org #9 1 too low 9

WPS Notice Center 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #8 1 too high 10

RPB Chessboard 1K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓2 9 too low 11

PDF Invoices Italian Add-on for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.6★ (16) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #11 1 too high 13

Számlázz.hu integráció WooCommerce-hez 7K+ · 4.9★ (54) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #22 ↓1 9 too low 14

Soumettre.fr 10K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #24 10 too low 15

iCalendrier 700+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #13 2 too high 16

WPS Child Theme Generator 6K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #7 9 too high 17

OGEEAT 200+ · 5.0★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #15 2 too high 18

Fastcache by Host.it 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #12 6 too high 19

VOD Infomaniak 20K+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20

SmartAgenda – Prise de rendez-vous en ligne 300+ · 4.4★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21

HelloAsso 4K+ · 3.6★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↑7 5 too high 22

CDI – Collect and Deliver Interface for Woocommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 4 too high 23

HelloAsso Payments for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.5★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓1 24

Slope Widgets 400+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓1 4 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.