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

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 “localhero”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 7 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

LH Multisite CORS shows at wp.org #8 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

LH Archived Post Status 3K+ · 4.1★ (18) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #1 2

LH Add Media From Url 1K+ · 4.2★ (9) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #2 3

LH Page Links To 400+ · 4.8★ (4) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #3 4

LH Private Content Login 200+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #4 5

LH Multipart Email 600+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #6 1 too low 6

LH Force Lowercase URLs 2K+ · 4.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #5 1 too high 7

LH Private BuddyPress 100+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 3 too low 8

LH User Taxonomies 300+ · 5.0★ (8) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too low 9

LH Buddypress Export Xprofile Data 100+ · 5.0★ (4) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 10

LH Zero Spam 200+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 3 too high 11

LH Buddypress login on activation 30+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 1 too low 12

LH Multisite CORS 300+ · 3.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 4 too high 13

LH Sortable Tables 90+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 2 too high 14

LH Add Roles to Body Class 30+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 1 too high 15

LH Log sql queries to file 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 2 too low 16

LH Buddypress Disable Group Deletion 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 2 too low 17

LH Export Users to CSV 30+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 3 too high 18

LH Fresh Content 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 1 too low 19

LH Mysqldump 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 1 too low 20

LH Logged In Post Status — · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 4 too high 21

LH Image Renamer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 22

LH Buddypress Group Redirect 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #22 23

LH Clear Debug Log by Cron 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #23 24

LH Paragraph Ids 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #24

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.