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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “menu backup”

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 “menu backup”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 2 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

Menu Backup & Restore + Import/Export shows at wp.org #10 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 500+ 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

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) places #12 on merit, 5.0★ from 423 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #1 2 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #2 3 Backup Migration 80K+ · 4.9★ (1338) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 WPvivid — Backup, Migration & Staging 900K+ · 4.9★ (1568) wp.org #6 7 All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8 JetBackup – Backup, Restore & Migrate 200K+ · 4.5★ (1056) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too high 10 Migrate Guru – Site Migration & Cloning 200K+ · 4.9★ (1645) wp.org #15 5 too low 11 WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP 20K+ · 4.5★ (102) wp.org #11 12 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #20 8 too low 13 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 Total Upkeep – WordPress Backup Plugin plus Restore & Migrate by BoldGrid 40K+ · 4.8★ (442) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Prime Mover – Backup and Migration 10K+ · 5.0★ (141) wp.org #21 ↑2 5 too low 17 Database Backup for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (66) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Backup, Restore and Migrate your sites with XCloner 10K+ · 4.2★ (129) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Everest Backup – WordPress Cloud Backup, Migration, Restore & Cloning Plugin 3K+ · 4.4★ (45) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 Royal WordPress Backup, Restore & Migration Plugin – Backup WordPress Sites Safely 30K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 WebToffee WP Backup and Migration 5K+ · 4.5★ (49) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Fullscreen Menu 2K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #23 ↓2 1 too low 23 Menu Backup & Restore + Import/Export 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 13 too high 24 Import Export Menu 3K+ · 4.4★ (10) wp.org #22 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.