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

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

Ranked above its merit

Dozent LMS – Powerful WordPress LMS plugin shows at wp.org #17 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Easy Appointments places #5 on merit, 4.3★ from 131 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. 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 eRoom – Webinar & Meeting Plugin for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams 8K+ · 4.1★ (68) wp.org #2 3 Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading 9K+ · 4.9★ (120) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 OGEEAT 200+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Easy Appointments 10K+ · 4.3★ (131) wp.org #13 ↓1 8 too low 6 Soumettre.fr 10K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #12 ↓1 6 too low 7 Editor Custom Color Palette 90+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 myEasyCompta – Invoicing, Accounting & Quotes Plugin for WordPress 30+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #18 10 too low 9 ClassPress – Classroom & School Management Plugin for WordPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Vessera – Program & Course Catalog for Colleges — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 ImmoWP Estimation 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Slider Galerie Native Responsive 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Servantly Ask – Private Q&A with Spam-Blocking Moderation — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too high 14 Registrations for WooCommerce 100+ · 4.2★ (6) wp.org #21 ↓2 7 too low 15 Instant Chat Assistant — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 STN – Save To Nextcloud 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 Manager for Galène videoconference — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too high 18 Pay4All for Stripe – For WooCommerce & Pay4All Shop 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 SAM Optirank — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓2 20 Unseat Connector — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 3 too low 21 U UniLMS 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓2 1 too low 22 Dozent LMS – Powerful WordPress LMS plugin 10+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Dozent LMS Certificate 10+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓2 3 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.