wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “mailchimp compatible”
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 “mailchimp compatible”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Block for Mailchimp – grow your email list with signup forms shows at wp.org #5 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 19 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 14387 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress 1M+ · 4.8★ (1497)
wp.org #1 2 
Mailchimp for WooCommerce 200K+ · 4.0★ (726)
wp.org #2 3 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221)
wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too low 4 
Forms for Mailchimp by Optin Cat – Grow Your MailChimp List 2K+ · 4.4★ (77)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too low 6 
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 
Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285)
wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 
WP WooCommerce Mailchimp 5K+ · 4.3★ (35)
wp.org #4 4 too high 9 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 
Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215)
wp.org #15 5 too low 11 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #14 ↑2 3 too low 12 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #19 ↑1 7 too low 13 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #11 ↓1 2 too high 14 
GN Publisher: Google News Compatible RSS Feeds 20K+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #9 ↑2 5 too high 15 
CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin by NiteoThemes 200K+ · 4.7★ (326)
wp.org #17 2 too low 16 
Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184)
wp.org #16 ↑3 17 
CartFlows – Funnel Builder & Checkout Plugin for WooCommerce 200K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #21 4 too low 18 
Minimal Coming Soon – Coming Soon Page 100K+ · 4.3★ (282)
wp.org #18 19 
Subscribe Forms – Beautiful Email Forms, Embedded Newsletter Forms & MailChimp Form 2K+ · 4.7★ (60)
wp.org #13 6 too high 20 
Simply Schedule Appointments 50K+ · 5.0★ (155)
wp.org #22 ↑1 2 too low 21 
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft 100K+ · 3.9★ (391)
wp.org #20 ↑2 1 too high 22 
UsersWP – Front-end login form, User Registration, User Profile & Members Directory plugin for WP 20K+ · 4.7★ (183)
wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23 
WP Popups – WordPress Popup builder 30K+ · 4.9★ (112)
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Block for Mailchimp – grow your email list with signup forms 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #5 19 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.