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

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 “metaboxes”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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

Futurio Extra shows at wp.org #7 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Bulk Edit Posts and Products in Spreadsheet places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 217 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #1 2 PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 CMB2 300K+ · 5.0★ (91) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 A Adminimize 100K+ · 4.7★ (254) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 QuadMenu – Mega Menu 10K+ · 4.5★ (270) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Ocean Extra 400K+ · 3.3★ (67) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Bulk Edit Posts and Products in Spreadsheet 7K+ · 4.8★ (217) wp.org #19 ↓1 11 too low 9 Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 WP Custom Admin Interface 30K+ · 4.7★ (160) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 Event Organiser 20K+ · 4.6★ (140) wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Classic Visual Editor Options 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #12 ↑1 13 Advanced Post Manager 4K+ · 3.5★ (11) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Modern Fields, Custom Fields for Gutenberg 30+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #21 ↑1 7 too low 15 D Display custom fields in the frontend – Post and User Profile Fields 500+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #20 5 too low 16 S Simple Taxonomy Refreshed 400+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #18 ↓3 2 too low 17 WebMan Amplifier 1K+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #17 ↓1 18 C Custom Metadata Manager 700+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 Double Youpï Refined Admin Dashboard – Admin Theme with Dark Mode & Media Folders 70+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 C CMB2 Admin Extension 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↑4 5 too high 21 Futurio Extra 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 14 too high 22 Fonto – Custom Web Fonts Manager 2K+ · 3.0★ (4) wp.org #11 11 too high 23 WPShapere Lite 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24 Attesa Extra 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 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.