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

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 based sidebar”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 Based Sidebar shows at wp.org #5 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Translate WordPress with GTranslate places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 4962 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Advanced Sidebar Menu 10K+ · 4.5★ (37) wp.org #1 2

Nav Menu Roles 70K+ · 4.9★ (219) wp.org #2 3

Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763) wp.org #3 ↓1 4

Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping 100K+ · 4.9★ (706) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5

Sidebar Login 9K+ · 4.5★ (78) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too high 6

ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7

Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too low 9

Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too low 10

Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616) wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11

Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #22 ↑1 11 too low 12

Category Posts in Custom Menu 2K+ · 4.8★ (43) wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too low 13

Genesis Simple Sidebars 10K+ · 4.4★ (27) wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14

Off-Canvas Sidebars & Menus (Slidebars) 1K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too low 15

Adminify – White Label, Admin Menu Editor, Login Customizer 6K+ · 4.3★ (109) wp.org #21 6 too low 16

Groovy Menu Plugin (Free) 4K+ · 3.6★ (25) wp.org #10 ↓1 6 too high 17

Admin Bar Editor – Toolbar Customization with User Role based access & Custom menus 3K+ · 4.4★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 18

SMK Sidebar Generator 10K+ · 4.4★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #7 ↓1 11 too high 19

Import Export Menu 3K+ · 4.4★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓1 8 too high 20

Ultimate Floating Widgets – Make popup sidebars 3K+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21

Role Based Redirect 2K+ · 4.8★ (17) thin reviews wp.org #24 3 too low 22

Calculate Prices based on Distance For WooCommerce 300+ · 4.8★ (20) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23

Menu Based Sidebar 300+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #5 ↓1 18 too high 24

The Menu: Custom mobile navigation with icons 400+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 4 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.