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

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 “lon”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 1 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.

Ranked above its merit

Weather Write shows at wp.org #9 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 10+ 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

MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet places #5 on merit, 4.7★ from 147 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 User IP and Location 3K+ · 4.2★ (9) wp.org #1 2 Stock Ticker 2K+ · 4.4★ (21) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Ventus – Weather Map Widget & Shortcode 3K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Under The Weather 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #24 ↓1 19 too low 6 Simple Location 300+ · 4.6★ (8) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 Weather Forecast Widget 200+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 Maps for WP 300+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 User Location and IP 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Easy Map – Store Locator, OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Mapbox 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11 Coordinate for Google Map (No API Required) 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too high 12 Map in Each Post – Add interactive maps to every post 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 Weather Write 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 RoxyAPI: Astrology, Vedic, Forecast, Human Design, Numerology 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too high 15 Address Lookup field for ACF 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too high 16 VedicAstroAPI 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 VedIntel Astro Widgets — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 S SolarDawn Sunrise & Sunset Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19 SunnyTracker Widgets — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 AstroWay – Astrology, Birth Chart & Horoscope Widgets 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 Mesh-Plug for Meshtastic — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 4WP Weather — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 MultiWeather — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 APIFreaks — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 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.