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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “live chat script”

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 “live chat script”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Charla Live Chat shows at wp.org #10 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 3220 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 Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775) wp.org #1 2 Tidio – Live Chat & AI Chatbots 70K+ · 4.8★ (395) wp.org #2 3 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) wp.org #3 ↑4 1 too high 5 Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #5 6 Smartsupp – live chat, AI shopping assistant and chatbots 20K+ · 4.7★ (131) wp.org #6 7 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Tawk.To Live Chat 100K+ · 4.6★ (142) wp.org #7 ↓3 1 too high 9 Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142) wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too high 10 Simple Ajax Chat – Add a Fast, Secure Chat Box 2K+ · 4.9★ (215) wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too low 11 WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222) wp.org #16 5 too low 12 HubSpot All-In-One Marketing – Forms, Popups, Live Chat 200K+ · 4.3★ (207) wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too low 13 Chatra Live Chat + ChatBot + Cart Saver 2K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 MyLiveChat – Free Live Chat & AI Chatbot 800+ · 4.4★ (27) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Live Composer – Free WordPress Website Builder 10K+ · 4.4★ (212) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 ChatHelp – Click to Chat Button, Chat to Order for WooCommerce & Floating Chat Form 2K+ · 4.4★ (9) wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too high 17 RumbleTalk Group Chat for Communities & Live Events 600+ · 3.4★ (21) wp.org #22 ↑1 5 too low 18 Contact Form to Chat Apps | Click to Chat to Order – FormyChat 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Better Chat Support for Messenger 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↑2 1 too low 20 Charla Live Chat 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 10 too high 21 AI Chatbot, Live Chat & Lead Generation for WordPress 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 Yivic Easy Live Chat 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 WPChat – Live Chat & Messaging Widget for Customer Support 6K+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 Melu Live Chat 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 7 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.