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← Rankings

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

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 “lifter”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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.

L

Ranked above its merit

Lifter Image Popups shows at wp.org #3 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

LoginPress | wp-login Custom Login Page Customizer places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 1077 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. 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 FunnelKit – Funnel Builder Plugin for WooCommerce Checkout 30K+ · 5.0★ (1028) wp.org #6 4 too low 3 GamiPress – Gamification plugin to reward points, badges & ranks in WordPress, now with AI 10K+ · 4.9★ (493) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 گیت‌لند | درگاه پرداخت هوشمند گیت‌لند 5K+ · 4.7★ (18) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 OttoKit: All-in-One Automation Platform 90K+ · 4.9★ (125) wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too low 6 LoginPress | wp-login Custom Login Page Customizer 200K+ · 4.8★ (1077) wp.org #17 ↑1 11 too low 7 Seriously Simple Podcasting 20K+ · 4.7★ (330) wp.org #16 ↑1 9 too low 8 Virtual Classroom & Video Conferencing – BigBlueButton 400+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #8 ↑1 9 Experience API for LifterLMS by Grassblade 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 7 too high 10 WriteShare Writing Community Platform 80+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #19 ↑1 9 too low 11 L Lifter Image Popups 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 8 too high 12 Visibility Control for LifterLMS 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓2 3 too high 13 LD to Lifter — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 TopBar Buddy 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Manual Completions for LifterLMS 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Simple Email Scheduler — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too high 17 MasterQuiz AI — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too high 18 UpdateGuard – Safe Update Manager — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 MultiCOM Affiliate Tracker — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 Absolute Happiness — · 3.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑1

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.