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← Rankings

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

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 “linktree”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 18. 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

S

Ranked above its merit

Social Influencer Links shows at wp.org #9 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 144 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Link in Bio Creator – Social 2K+ · 4.3★ (21) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Superb Addons: Blocks, Patterns, Pre-built Pages, Sliders, Popups, Free Forms, Animations & More 80K+ · 4.9★ (23) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 WP MyLinks 1K+ · 4.0★ (14) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #12 8 too low 5 Superb Social Media Share Buttons and Follow Buttons 6K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too high 6 LinkCentral – URL shortener, Affiliate Links & Custom Link Shortener with Link Tracking 400+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Popular Brand Icons – Simple Icons 3K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 BioLinks 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 ↑1 3 too high 9 Gulo Link-in-Bio 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too high 10 D DJADRNX BioLink Builder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too high 11 Automind Toolkit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too high 12 EntrySource Database and UTM Tracker for Contact Form 7 — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too high 13 PN Customers Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 2 too high 14 S Social Influencer Links 20+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↑1 5 too high 15 Amitry Link Hub – Link in Bio, QR Code & Landing Page — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16 ASC Bio 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 Shulman UTM Attribution for Elementor 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 2 too high 18 SimpleSocial 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #16 ↓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.