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← Rankings

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

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 “manger”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 6 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

Auto Location for WP Job Manager shows at wp.org #3 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 100+ 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

Plugin Load Filter places #3 on merit, 4.8★ from 52 reviews, but shows at wp.org #7. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 EventON – Events Calendar 6K+ · 4.1★ (44) wp.org #1 2 Essential Form – The lightest plugin for contact forms, ultra lightweight and no spam 600+ · 4.9★ (19) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Plugin Load Filter 7K+ · 4.8★ (52) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 All in One Time Clock Lite – Tracking Employee Time Has Never Been Easier 500+ · 4.6★ (8) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Event Tickets Manager for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (32) wp.org #5 6 WC Share Cart URL 300+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #6 7 Revision Manager TMC 1K+ · 4.9★ (10) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Product Sort and Display for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.1★ (45) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Post Label Center (PLC) Manager for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 Email Inquiry & Cart Options for WooCommerce 800+ · 3.2★ (20) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 Auto Location for WP Job Manager 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #3 8 too high 12 Compare Products for WooCommerce 20+ · 2.8★ (14) wp.org #17 5 too low 13 a3 Portfolio 100+ · 3.0★ (12) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 SeaSP Community Edition 10+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 W WP Media File Type Manager 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 Guest Post Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 G Gravity Forms Related Fields Add-On 70+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #24 7 too low 18 Ziggeo Video for Job Manager 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 VIPer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 20 WP job Pro 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 OB Event Manger — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 22 Transact 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 23 R rankcookie 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Extensions For All In One SEO Pack 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 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.