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← Rankings

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

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 “localisation”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Trust Payments Gateway for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #4 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Job Manager places #6 on merit, 4.4★ from 237 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 reCAPTCHA for WooCommerce 40K+ · 4.6★ (76) wp.org #1 2 Event Organiser 20K+ · 4.6★ (140) wp.org #2 3 Brizy – Page Builder 60K+ · 4.7★ (972) wp.org #20 ↑2 17 too low 4 Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882) wp.org #21 ↑2 17 too low 5 Easy Invoice – Invoice Generator, PDF Quotes & Payments 600+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #5 6 WP Job Manager 70K+ · 4.4★ (237) wp.org #24 ↓1 18 too low 7 Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98) wp.org #22 ↑2 15 too low 8 Phrase TMS Integration for WordPress 200+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #3 5 too high 9 Posts per Cat 200+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 Sidebar Login 9K+ · 4.5★ (78) wp.org #23 13 too low 11 Trust Payments Gateway for WooCommerce 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 ConsentOwl — Cookie Consent & Tracker Blocker 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 FetchPriority Featured Image 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 W Webshipper – Automated Shipping 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 7 too high 15 Custom GlotPress Source 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 Enterra Quick Clone 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 7 too high 17 GlotPress Notify 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑2 5 too high 18 Geo-Target Dragon Radar 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too high 19 EasyTranslate 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑1 5 too high 20 AI Provider for MiniMax – AI Text & Image Generation Connector 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 AI Provider for OpenCode Zen – Multi-Model LLM Connector 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑2 5 too high 22 Wonderful Selfhosted Fonts 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too high 23 Rundiz Downloads — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑2 5 too high 24 Simpaisa Wallet (Jazzcash & Easypaisa) Payment Services 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 5 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.