wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “link buttons”
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 “link buttons”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder shows at wp.org #9 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
MaxButtons – Create buttons places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 1093 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322)
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97)
wp.org #3 4 
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone 20K+ · 4.8★ (194)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Broken Link Checker by AIOSEO – Find & Fix Broken Internal, External & Video Links 200K+ · 3.8★ (87)
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114)
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too low 10 
Link Whisper Free 30K+ · 4.2★ (151)
wp.org #8 2 too high 11 MaxButtons – Create buttons 70K+ · 4.9★ (1093)
wp.org #16 5 too low 12 
ThirstyAffiliates – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin 30K+ · 4.6★ (251)
wp.org #15 3 too low 13 
Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775)
wp.org #24 ↓2 11 too low 14 
Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121)
wp.org #14 15 
Call Now Button – The Free Click to Call Button for WordPress 200K+ · 4.8★ (102)
wp.org #20 ↓1 5 too low 16 
ShareThis Share Buttons 10K+ · 3.5★ (26)
wp.org #11 ↑1 5 too high 17 
Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #13 4 too high 18 
Smooth Page Scroll Up/Down Buttons 2K+ · 5.0★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↑1 5 too low 19 
Broken Link Notifier 1K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #17 2 too high 20 Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #9 11 too high 21 
Link Checker 4K+ · 3.2★ (30)
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 
Addon Elementor Container Link 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 
PayPal Payment Buttons 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too high 24 
Extend Link 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 2 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.