wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “loop post”

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 “loop post”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 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

Query Loop Load More shows at wp.org #6 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Contextual Related Posts places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 201 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #2 1 too low 2

Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236) wp.org #4 ↑6 2 too low 3

Query Loop Post Selector 600+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #1 2 too high 4

Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5

Advanced Query Loop 6K+ · 4.6★ (30) wp.org #3 2 too high 6

Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (210) heavy footprint wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7

Post Grid 30K+ · 4.3★ (163) wp.org #11 ↓2 4 too low 8

W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9

Post Slider and Post Carousel with Post Vertical Scrolling Widget – A Responsive Post Slider 10K+ · 4.7★ (31) wp.org #10 ↓2 1 too low 10

AnWP Post Grid and Post Carousel Slider for Elementor 20K+ · 4.9★ (84) wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too low 11

Tangible: Loops & Logic 2K+ · 4.9★ (39) wp.org #13 1 too low 13

Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80) wp.org #19 6 too low 14

Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint wp.org #22 ↓4 8 too low 15

Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #23 ↓1 8 too low 16

Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #9 ↓2 7 too high 17

Blog Designer Pack – Blog, Post Grid, Post Slider, Post Carousel, Category Post, News 30K+ · 4.7★ (79) wp.org #24 ↓1 7 too low 18

MWW Scheduled Post Trigger 60K+ · 4.4★ (27) wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19

Loop Grid Extender for Elementor – ACF Repeater & Smart Filters 1K+ · 5.0★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #8 ↑4 11 too high 20

Query Loop Load More 800+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #6 ↓1 15 too high 22

Solid Post Likes 500+ · 4.8★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too high 23

Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #14 9 too high 24

Post Type Transfer 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #18 6 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.