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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “locator plugin”

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 “locator plugin”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 5 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

IP Locator shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 221 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 WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #1 2 Agile Store Locator 10K+ · 4.9★ (59) wp.org #2 3 String locator 100K+ · 4.6★ (125) wp.org #3 4 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (221) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map 10K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #17 8 too low 10 Custom WP Store Locator 300+ · 4.6★ (14) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 Locatoraid Store Locator 1K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 WP Map Block – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store & Shop Locator, Directory, Listings & Filters 20K+ · 4.0★ (20) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 Store Locator for WordPress📍 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Progus Store Locator Map (No API Key Required) 30+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 5 too low 16 Store Locator Widget 300+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 T Themify Store Locator 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 IP Locator 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 12 too high 19 MapPin – Location & Store Locator 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 MIPL Stockist/Store Locator 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 SEO'n'AI – Image Locator & Find Unused Images 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 MatrixMap – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Store Locator & World Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 Storemapper Store Locator Map 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 P Pazzey's Store Locator 10+ · 3.7★ (3) 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.