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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “list block”

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 “list block”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

VK Block Patterns shows at wp.org #10 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100K+ 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

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy places #9 on merit, 5.0★ from 4625 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3 Author Avatars List/Block 4K+ · 4.8★ (32) wp.org #3 4 Icon List Block – Add Icon-Based Lists with Custom Styles 4K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 The Icon Block 40K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 VS Event List 8K+ · 4.9★ (82) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 IP Location Block 10K+ · 4.5★ (35) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #11 12 PublishPress Blocks – Block Controls, Block Visibility, Block Permissions 20K+ · 4.7★ (204) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 Download List Block with Icons 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 8 too high 14 Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 SVG Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 iQ Block Country 20K+ · 3.9★ (166) wp.org #23 ↓1 6 too low 18 Spectra Blocks – AI Website Builder for the Block Editor 60K+ · 4.6★ (53) wp.org #21 ↓5 3 too low 19 Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 VK Blocks 100K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Table Of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 VK Block Patterns 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 13 too high 24 Description List Block 400+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #13 11 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.