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

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 “merchandise”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

Blocks for Bandcamp shows at wp.org #7 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 8 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

Sunshine Photo Cart – Client Photo Gallery & Photo Proofing for Photographers places #3 on merit, 4.7★ from 138 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Glossary 2K+ · 4.7★ (84) wp.org #1 2 SureCart – Ecommerce Made Easy For Selling Physical Products, Digital Downloads, Subscriptions, Donations, & Payments 80K+ · 4.8★ (289) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 Sunshine Photo Cart – Client Photo Gallery & Photo Proofing for Photographers 1K+ · 4.7★ (138) wp.org #8 ↑1 5 too low 4 GetResponse Official 4K+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #2 ↑1 2 too high 5 ELEX WooCommerce Australia Post Shipping 200+ · 4.1★ (13) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Custom Product Builder for WooCommerce – Product Designer & Customizer 300+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #4 ↓2 2 too high 7 BLAZING Email Transfer Payment Gateway 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too low 8 ST Elementor Addons 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 ↑1 5 too high 9 Live Event Seating Lite – Seating Chart, Floor Plan, RSVP & Event Ticket 40+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #15 ↑1 6 too low 10 Order Limit for WooCommerce (Free Version) 800+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too low 11 My Online Fashion Store 20+ · 4.5★ (15) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 FooSales – Point of Sale (POS) for WooCommerce 600+ · 3.2★ (13) wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too low 13 Printcart Store – Web to Print Product Designer for WooCommerce 60+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #23 ↓1 10 too low 14 Easy Stripe Payments & Donations 10+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↑1 6 too low 15 Blocks for Bandcamp 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 Step-By-Step Ordering System for WooCommerce 10+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #21 5 too low 17 Funbutler Booking System 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↑1 8 too high 18 Merchr Print on Demand UK 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑1 6 too high 19 Search URL Beautifier 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑1 5 too high 20 6Storage Rentals 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too high 21 DesignCrate Product Designer for WooCommerce 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 4 too high 22 Designify Product Customizer for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓2 23 Engraver – Personalize and Customize WooCommerce Products — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 Color Picker for Contact Form 7 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.