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← Rankings

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

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 “literature”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 3 of the top 20. 5 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.

C

Ranked above its merit

Custom Profile Filters for BuddyPress shows at wp.org #15 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPC Grouped Product for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #1 2 Bible Reading Plans 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 3 Fale Hafez 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 4 Publiton – Auto Publication Updater 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 W WP Nasa/ADS Query Importer 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 E Edebiyat Yarışmaları Widget — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 7 BMLT Minutes — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Palasthotel Integration for ProLitteris — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 Tamil Thirukkural Quotes Plugin 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Borges Bibliography Builder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 11 Noesia Smart Waiter — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 12 M My Data Redirect — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 13 Print Flyers Lite 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 KAPOW Image Recommendation — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too low 15 V Vachana Sanchaya Daily Vachana Widget — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 Welcome Emails for Contact Forms 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 J.W.Cart Scheduler — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 T Tides 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Q Quote This 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 S S2BD Bridge — · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 M myPortfolio Plus 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 C Custom Profile Filters for BuddyPress 100+ · 3.3★ (3) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 P Poetry 10+ · 3.0★ (1) wp.org #21 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.