Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “localhost”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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.

B

Ranked above its merit

Basic URL ShortCodes shows at wp.org #3 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 4K+ 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

WP SMTP Mailer – SMTP7 places #7 on merit, 5.0★ from 115 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #1 2 SiteGround Migrator 80K+ · 4.3★ (403) wp.org #2 3 Change Admin Email 40K+ · 4.8★ (141) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP Force SSL & HTTPS SSL Redirect 80K+ · 4.7★ (179) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 Prime Mover – Backup and Migration 10K+ · 5.0★ (141) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 Waymark 900+ · 5.0★ (54) wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too low 7 WP SMTP Mailer – SMTP7 8K+ · 5.0★ (115) wp.org #16 ↓1 9 too low 8 1-Click WordPress Migration Plugin – Backup, Migrate & Clone 400+ · 4.5★ (40) wp.org #10 ↑2 2 too low 9 FastDup – Fastest WordPress Migration & Duplicator 5K+ · 4.6★ (27) wp.org #9 10 Online Active Users 2K+ · 4.7★ (51) wp.org #18 8 too low 11 WebToffee WP Backup and Migration 5K+ · 4.5★ (49) wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too low 12 UpdraftCentral Dashboard 5K+ · 4.5★ (22) wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too low 13 AyeCode Connect 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 too high 14 B Basic URL ShortCodes 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 11 too high 15 WP-ServerInfo 10K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 WP-WebAuthn 2K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #19 3 too low 17 Slash Admin 500+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 L Local Development 90+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too high 19 Simple Export Import for ACF Data 1K+ · 3.4★ (16) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 BtW Importer – Free Blogger/Blogspot Migration 600+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Always Remember Me 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↑2 7 too high 22 RPS Blog Info 100+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 Cal.com 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 REST API blocks 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 4 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.