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

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 “localize”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 4 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

Localize – Website Translation Integration shows at wp.org #6 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Donation Platform for WooCommerce: Fundraising & Donation Management places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 99 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #1 2 Translate WordPress with Weglot 2.0 – Multilingual AI Translation 50K+ · 4.8★ (1940) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #3 4 Fonts Plugin | Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts & Upload Fonts 200K+ · 5.0★ (1221) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 Event Tickets and Registration 90K+ · 3.5★ (236) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 WP-Polls 40K+ · 4.2★ (136) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 YayCurrency – WooCommerce Multi-Currency Switcher 7K+ · 4.8★ (114) wp.org #15 ↑2 7 too low 9 Donation Platform for WooCommerce: Fundraising & Donation Management 7K+ · 4.9★ (99) wp.org #17 ↑2 8 too low 10 Amazon Link Engine 2K+ · 4.4★ (31) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11 Digital Signature For Contact Form 7 5K+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too high 12 Autocomplete Location Field for Contact Form 7 1K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 Nota Fiscal Eletrônica Webmania 300+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 Localize – Website Translation Integration 30+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 RS WP Book Showcase – A Complete Book Catalogue & Library System 1K+ · 3.9★ (25) wp.org #21 ↓1 6 too low 16 Custom Post Type List Field For Contact Form 7 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too high 17 iTunes Link Engine 100+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #18 ↓5 1 too low 18 SCSS WP Editor 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #19 ↓3 1 too low 19 Local Links 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too low 20 WP Subscription Forms – Subscription Form Plugin for WordPress 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↓1 7 too high 21 Dynamic Text Field For Contact Form 7 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too high 22 HametuPack 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 23 Teydea Login Security – Password Policy, Complexity Rules & Expiration 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↓2 24 Size Chart Product For Woocommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓2

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.