wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “medium api”

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 “medium api”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.

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

Display Post Feed from Medium shows at wp.org #1 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 701 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Two Factor 100K+ · 4.7★ (209) wp.org #2 ↑4 1 too low 2

Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1072) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Blog2Social: Social Media Auto Post & Scheduler 40K+ · 4.5★ (2107) wp.org #5 2 too low 4

Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4358) wp.org #6 ↓4 2 too low 5

MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too low 6

Disable Media Sizes 10K+ · 5.0★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #4 2 too high 7

Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #13 ↑2 6 too low 8

Categories Images 50K+ · 4.5★ (86) wp.org #8 ↓1 9

SchedulePress – Auto Post & Publish, Auto Social Share, Schedule Posts with Editorial Calendar & Missed Schedule Post Publisher 10K+ · 4.6★ (201) wp.org #12 ↑1 3 too low 10

WPS Bidouille 9K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #11 ↑1 12

Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215) wp.org #17 5 too low 13

USPS Simple Shipping for Woocommerce 8K+ · 4.4★ (28) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14

Australia Post WooCommerce Extension 3K+ · 4.4★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #9 5 too high 15

SimpLy Gallery 40K+ · 4.8★ (118) wp.org #22 7 too low 16

Wp-Insert 9K+ · 4.5★ (142) wp.org #20 ↑2 4 too low 17

Notification for Telegram 4K+ · 4.9★ (71) wp.org #21 ↑2 4 too low 18

Kaya QR Code Generator 10K+ · 4.4★ (38) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19

Display Post Feed from Medium 100+ · 2.3★ (3) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #1 18 too high 20

LWS Tools 10K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too high 22

CHIP for WooCommerce 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #14 8 too high 23

UseStrict’s Calendly Embedder 2K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

Mailster Google Analytics 800+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↑1 5 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.