wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “linkedin share”
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 “linkedin share”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 2 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
ShareThis Share Buttons shows at wp.org #9 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.5★ average from 26 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
OG — Better Share on Social Media places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 216 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP LinkedIn Auto Publish 8K+ · 4.8★ (106) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #1 ↑2 2 
AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #4 ↑3 5 
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 10K+ · 4.9★ (1911) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333)
wp.org #12 ↓7 6 too low 7 
WP to LinkedIn Auto Publish 900+ · 4.7★ (59)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
Social Sharing Plugin – Sassy Social Share 100K+ · 4.8★ (523)
wp.org #17 ↑1 9 too low 9 
Genesis Simple Share 10K+ · 4.4★ (33)
wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too high 10 
Super Web Share – Native Social Sharing Button 2K+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #8 ↑4 2 too high 11 
Social Share Buttons 1K+ · 4.8★ (28)
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 OG — Better Share on Social Media 20K+ · 4.8★ (216)
wp.org #23 ↓1 11 too low 13 
WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144)
wp.org #21 ↓8 8 too low 14 
SchedulePress – Auto Post & Publish, Auto Social Share, Schedule Posts with Editorial Calendar & Missed Schedule Post Publisher 10K+ · 4.6★ (201)
wp.org #22 ↓2 8 too low 15 
Loginizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1033) not PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↑4 4 too low 16 
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone 20K+ · 4.8★ (194) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↑2 1 too high 17 
Cresta Social Share Counter 2K+ · 4.8★ (55)
wp.org #16 1 too high 18 
Share Buttons & AI-powered Summaries 1K+ · 5.0★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #11 7 too high 19 
Highlight and Share – Unobtrusive and Lightweight Content Sharing 700+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #18 ↑3 1 too high 20 
Share This Image 1K+ · 4.1★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑2 7 too high 21 ShareThis Share Buttons 10K+ · 3.5★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 12 too high 22 
Superb Social Media Share Buttons and Follow Buttons 6K+ · 4.4★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 2 too high 23 
Social Sharing Plugin – Kiwi 4K+ · 4.1★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
Easy Share Solution For WordPress 900+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #14 10 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.