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

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 “merch”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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

Merchr Print on Demand UK shows at wp.org #9 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 20+ 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143) wp.org #1 2 ELEX WooCommerce Australia Post Shipping 200+ · 4.1★ (13) wp.org #2 3 GetResponse Official 4K+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #3 4 Spreadconnect 600+ · 2.8★ (9) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 File Uploader for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Blocks for Bandcamp 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 DesignO 10+ · 3.6★ (10) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 FooSales – Point of Sale (POS) for WooCommerce 600+ · 3.2★ (13) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Digital Signature Add-on for WooCommerce 900+ · 3.1★ (19) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Merch Factory for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 MusicNetics Artist Toolkit 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Tap To Donate for Give by Jovvie 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 13 Merchr Print on Demand UK 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Bulkzy for WooCommerce – Wholesale Pricing, B2B Tiered Discounts, MOQ & Bulk Order Forms — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 15 Maaly Pay — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 16 VEFmusic — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 17 AR Button – AR Product Preview & Configurator — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 TierStep – Early Bird Discount, Progressive Discount & Launch Pricing for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Easy Digital Downloads Digital Signature 60+ · 3.0★ (4) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Contact Forms 7 Digital Signature Add-On 300+ · 2.6★ (5) wp.org #20 21 merch.systems Storefront — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Eventotron — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 23 merch.systems — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 24 D Dizzyjam 10+ · 4.0★ (1) 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.