wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “link updated”
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 updated”, 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
VK Link Target Controller shows at wp.org #8 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 30K+ 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
Internal Link Juicer: SEO Auto Linker for WordPress places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 537 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. 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 2 
PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322)
wp.org #2 3 
Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97)
wp.org #3 4 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Broken Link Checker by AIOSEO – Find & Fix Broken Internal, External & Video Links 200K+ · 3.8★ (87)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Link Whisper Free 30K+ · 4.2★ (151)
wp.org #6 7 
Internal Links Manager 10K+ · 4.8★ (33)
wp.org #7 8 
ThirstyAffiliates – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin 30K+ · 4.6★ (251)
wp.org #12 4 too low 9 
Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #16 6 too low 11 Internal Link Juicer: SEO Auto Linker for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (537)
wp.org #20 9 too low 12 
Campos Checkout Brasileiro para WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (45)
wp.org #14 2 too low 13 
Gallery Custom Links 30K+ · 4.7★ (208)
wp.org #23 10 too low 14 
External Links – nofollow, noopener & new window 80K+ · 4.3★ (247)
wp.org #21 7 too low 15 
Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #9 6 too high 16 
Broken Link Notifier 1K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #11 5 too high 17 
Amazon Link Engine 2K+ · 4.4★ (31)
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
SMNTCS Custom Logo Link 2K+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 
Link Checker 4K+ · 3.2★ (30)
wp.org #13 6 too high 20 
Hash Link Scroll Offset 1K+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 VK Link Target Controller 30K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 13 too high 22 
Sticky Social Link 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #15 7 too high 23 R Recently Updated Pages and Posts 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #18 5 too high 24 
Share Link 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #22 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.