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

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 “mall”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 20. 4 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

ChinaDS – Tmall-Taobao Dropshipping for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #8 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Simple Business Directory – AI Powered places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 62 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Agile Store Locator 10K+ · 4.9★ (59) wp.org #1 2 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Listdom: AI-powered Business Directory with Classifieds Ads Listings 1K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Simple Business Directory – AI Powered 300+ · 4.9★ (62) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 Mergado Pack 700+ · 3.6★ (17) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Store Locator for WordPress📍 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 PicPoints – Interactive Image Map & Hotspot Builder 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 MyFatoorah – WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 Easy Map – Store Locator, OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Mapbox 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 Expo Booth Booking 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 Static menus | inventivo 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 1 too low 12 Mappedin Plugin for WordPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Mappedin Web Plugin for WordPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 Moksa Points for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too low 15 GeekoDev Universal Product Feed for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 GeoRank – Top Places Lists — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too low 17 mFloorMap 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 Balidrop — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 2 too low 19 WinaltChat for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 ChinaDS – Tmall-Taobao Dropshipping for WooCommerce 100+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #8 12 too high 21 C CS Shop 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 22 W WP Admin Bar Hide MH — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 M Materializer WP 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓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.