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

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 “meetups”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

Easy Events Calendar : All-in-One Events Calendar with Social Event, Eventbrite, Meetup, Google & iCal Import Support shows at wp.org #9 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 172 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #1 2

Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) wp.org #4 ↓1 2 too low 3

EmbedPress 100K+ · 4.8★ (307) wp.org #5 2 too low 4

WP Event Aggregator: Import Eventbrite events, Meetup events, social events and any iCal Events into Event Calendar 1K+ · 4.6★ (54) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too high 5

Import Meetup Events – Meetup Sync & Event Aggregator for WordPress 300+ · 4.7★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #2 3 too high 6

Eventin – Events Calendar, Tickets, Registration, Booking & WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (413) wp.org #8 2 too low 7

Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker – WCAG, ADA, EAA and Section 508 compliance 10K+ · 4.9★ (80) wp.org #6 1 too high 8

White Label CMS 200K+ · 4.7★ (114) wp.org #7 1 too high 9

Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce – Sell Tickets, Event Registration, RSVP & Event Calendar 7K+ · 4.5★ (167) wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too low 10

Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map 10K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #17 7 too low 11

Event Countdown for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.6★ (48) wp.org #10 1 too high 12

Import Eventbrite Events 3K+ · 4.5★ (52) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13

Events Shortcodes For The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (214) wp.org #20 ↓2 7 too low 14

Import Social Events 3K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #15 1 too low 15

Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16

Registrations for the Events Calendar – Event Registration Plugin 7K+ · 5.0★ (103) wp.org #21 5 too low 17

EventON – Events Calendar 6K+ · 4.1★ (44) wp.org #16 2 too high 19

Events Search & Filter Bar for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #23 4 too low 20

XT Event Widget for Social Events 800+ · 4.5★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↑1 2 too high 21

Event SEO: Event Schema / Structured Data: Google Rich Snippet Schema for Event 700+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓3 7 too high 22

Easy Events Calendar : All-in-One Events Calendar with Social Event, Eventbrite, Meetup, Google & iCal Import Support 100+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #9 13 too high 23

Events Calendar Modules for Divi 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24

Socicon 200+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #24

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.