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

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 “loyalty”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 7 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

myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 400+ 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

Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce – BOGO, Store Credit & WooCommerce Coupons places #11 on merit, 4.4★ from 184 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

Points Management System For Gamification, Ranks, Badges, and Loyalty Rewards Program – myCred 10K+ · 4.6★ (472) not PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Loyalty Points Rewards and Referral for WooCommerce – WPLoyalty 3K+ · 5.0★ (310) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #2 3

Customer Reviews for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (1539) wp.org #8 5 too low 4

Email Marketing for WooCommerce by Omnisend 40K+ · 4.9★ (169) wp.org #6 ↑2 2 too low 5

Gratisfaction- Loyalty, Rewards , Referral, Birthday and Giveaway Program 600+ · 4.8★ (205) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 1 too high 6

Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create Loyalty Programs, Reward Customer Purchases, Referral Points, User Badges, and Gamification 6K+ · 4.5★ (180) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 ↑11 1 too high 7

Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376) wp.org #12 ↓4 5 too low 8

Wallet for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (188) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too high 9

WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222) wp.org #16 ↓2 7 too low 10

Simple Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create a Loyalty Program 400+ · 5.0★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #3 7 too high 11

Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce – BOGO, Store Credit & WooCommerce Coupons 20K+ · 4.4★ (184) wp.org #20 ↓4 9 too low 12

MyRewards 2K+ · 4.7★ (58) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too low 13

GamiPress – Gamification plugin to reward points, badges & ranks in WordPress, now with AI 10K+ · 4.9★ (493) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓2 8 too low 14

Wishlist for WooCommerce: Multiple Wishlists per Customer 2K+ · 4.9★ (53) wp.org #24 ↓3 10 too low 15

Giveaways and Contests by RafflePress – Get More Website Traffic, Email Subscribers, and Social Followers 20K+ · 3.9★ (43) wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too low 16

Gratisfaction- Contests Giveaways Referral Loyalty Rewards and Birthdays Program 20+ · 5.0★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #23 7 too low 17

theMarketer – Email marketing, Newsletters, Automation & Loyalty for Woocommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #9 ↓1 8 too high 18

RewardsWP – Loyalty Points & Referral Program for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #11 7 too high 19

Wolve Loyalty 20+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓2 6 too high 20

Pinterest for WooCommerce 200K+ · 2.3★ (68) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #18 ↑5 2 too high 21

Loyalty Points and Rewards for Square 20+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓2 7 too high 22

myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards 400+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #10 ↓1 12 too high 23

Diller Loyalty 80+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓2 1 too high 24

SimplyBook.me – Booking and reservations calendar 30K+ · 1.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #15 9 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.