wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “mailchimp lists”
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 lists”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 2 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
Simple Membership MailChimp Integration shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 738 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.
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress 1M+ · 4.8★ (1497)
wp.org #1 2 
Mailmunch Forms for Mailchimp 10K+ · 4.6★ (372) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too low 4 
Mailchimp List Subscribe Form 60K+ · 2.6★ (77) low rating, top placement
wp.org #2 2 too high 5 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221)
wp.org #13 8 too low 6 
Integration for Mailchimp and Contact Form 7, WPForms, Elementor, Ninja Forms 8K+ · 5.0★ (30)
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 
Forms for Mailchimp by Optin Cat – Grow Your MailChimp List 2K+ · 4.4★ (77) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
Connect Contact Form 7 to Mailchimp, Brevo, MailerLite, Klaviyo, GetResponse, EmailOctopus, Campaign Monitor & Moosend 40K+ · 4.3★ (190)
wp.org #9 ↓3 1 too low 9 User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #20 ↑1 11 too low 10 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #23 ↓3 11 too low 13 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #16 3 too low 14 
MailMunch – Grow your Email List 5K+ · 4.7★ (241) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 1 too low 15 
Ultra Addons for Contact Form 7 60K+ · 4.8★ (107)
wp.org #21 ↑3 6 too low 16 
Featured Images in RSS for Mailchimp & More 20K+ · 4.3★ (113)
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 
WP WooCommerce Mailchimp 5K+ · 4.3★ (35) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 9 too high 18 
Another Mailchimp Widget 4K+ · 4.6★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑2 11 too high 19 
Product Customer List for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.9★ (75)
wp.org #22 ↓3 3 too low 20 
Redirection for Contact Form 7 200K+ · 4.7★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 
Quform Mailchimp 700+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #10 11 too high 22 
Integration for WooCommerce and MailChimp 100+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #14 8 too high 23 
Block for Mailchimp – grow your email list with signup forms 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #12 11 too high 24 S Simple Membership MailChimp Integration 900+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 13 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.