Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “mathjax”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 18. 3 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

Youngwhan's Simple Latex shows at wp.org #7 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Design Upgrade for LearnDash places #7 on merit, 5.0★ from 53 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 S Simple Mathjax 4K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #1 2 Quiz Maker by AYS 20K+ · 4.9★ (601) wp.org #8 ↑2 6 too low 3 M MathJax-LaTeX 10K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 KaTeX 2K+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #4 ↑1 5 LaTeX2HTML 200+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #3 ↑1 2 too high 6 Docxpresso 2K+ · 4.7★ (31) wp.org #11 ↑1 5 too low 7 Design Upgrade for LearnDash 6K+ · 5.0★ (53) wp.org #16 ↑1 9 too low 8 W WP LaTeX 700+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 Markup Markdown 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too low 10 Qwizcards | online quizzes and flashcards 100+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too low 11 WPMathPub 300+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #5 ↑2 6 too high 12 MathML Block 1K+ · 3.8★ (4) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 WP-KaTeX 700+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too low 14 Youngwhan's Simple Latex 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑1 7 too high 15 M Markdeep Block — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 2 too high 16 WunderPaint – The Dynamic Design and Automation Studio 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 Insert math 100+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↑1 18 C Codecogs Latex Equation Editor 60+ · 2.3★ (4) wp.org #18 ↑1

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.