wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “maxim”
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 “maxim”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 7 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Secudeal Payments for Ecommerce shows at wp.org #10 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP YouTube Lyte places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 206 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.
Bulk Delete 30K+ · 4.3★ (129)
wp.org #1 2 
Geo Mashup 1K+ · 4.7★ (33)
wp.org #2 3 
AnWP Football Leagues 700+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #3 4 WP YouTube Lyte 20K+ · 4.8★ (206)
wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too low 5 
WP-CRM System – Manage Clients and Projects 700+ · 3.9★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Mobile-Refuel Table Reservation 10+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 
Coupon Creator 1K+ · 4.3★ (37)
wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 
PocketBooking – Manage Appointments on the Go — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 
agentprose — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #7 2 too high 10 
Russian texts proofreader Glvrd 100+ · 3.7★ (6) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 7 too low 11 
Gitdown: Git Repository to WordPress Blog Posts — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too high 12 
Admin Menu Search (AMS) — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 W WP JS Only Comments — · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 6 too low 14 Secudeal Payments for Ecommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15 
Daily Maxim 365 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too high 16 
Call to action — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 
ANPC Display 60+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 
dydu chatbots — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 Q Quicklogons — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 
CSS to Footer 50+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 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.