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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “local compiler”

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 “local compiler”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 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 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

Sass To CSS Compiler shows at wp.org #2 but places #9 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

W

Buried gem

WP-SCSS places #4 on merit, 4.3★ from 61 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 Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #1 2 Schema Package – Structured Data & Rich Snippets Tool for SEO 200+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 WindPress – Tailwind CSS integration for WordPress 3K+ · 5.0★ (37) wp.org #11 ↓1 8 too low 4 W WP-SCSS 40K+ · 4.3★ (61) wp.org #12 ↑4 8 too low 5 Layout Recompiler for Brizy 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 WP Email Template 2K+ · 3.1★ (35) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7 LandTech Extras for Elementor 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too high 8 CompileKit – Tailwind CSS Compiler 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Sass To CSS Compiler 10+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #2 7 too high 10 SyncRanker – SEO Suite & AI Content Bridge — · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 11 L Lenix scss compiler 700+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Pay4All Age Verification – For WooCommerce & Pay4All Shop 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 DevDome Malware Scanner – WordPress Malware Removal & Security Scanner 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↑10 1 too low 14 Pay4All WIN — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓2 1 too high 15 Simme Media Organiser — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 16 G GG-Ally Page Builder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓3 17 SchemaGrove — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓5 18 Preloader Studio – Animated Loading Screens — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 19 Maréva Bangladesh SMS & OTP for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓5 20 Pexalvo Side Cart — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓5 21 Prajesh FAQ Organizer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 22 L Lucen Hosted Configurator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓5 23 Sideconvo Button Customizer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓5 24 Diadem One – CRM, Invoicing & Email Marketing — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓5

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.