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

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

Picture Gallery – Frontend Uploads & Image Editor shows at wp.org #8 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

CM Tooltip Glossary places #4 on merit, 4.3★ from 157 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 CM Search And Replace – Optimize content edits with a powerful search and replace tool 2K+ · 4.2★ (15) wp.org #1 2 CM Answers – Discussion Forum Plugin for WordPress Q&A 300+ · 3.8★ (86) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3 MicroPayments – Fans Paysite: Paid Creator Subscriptions, Digital Assets, Wallet 10+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 CM Tooltip Glossary 7K+ · 4.3★ (157) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 CM Download Manager – Organize, Protect & Share Files in WordPress 100+ · 3.9★ (43) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 CM E-Mail Blacklist – Simple email filtering for safer registration 800+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 CM Header and Footer – Add custom scripts and styles to your header and footer with ease 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 CM Custom Reports – Flexible reporting to track what matters most 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 CM Footnotes – Boost your content’s credibility with footnotes, citations, and bibliography 100+ · 4.2★ (6) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 CM Business Directory – Optimise and showcase local business 30+ · 3.9★ (11) wp.org #17 7 too low 11 Rate Star Review Vote – AJAX Reviews, Votes, Star Ratings 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too high 12 CM Ad Changer – A simple tool to control and optimize your site’s banners 100+ · 3.1★ (15) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 CM Table Of Contents – Clear navigation for better content discovery 100+ · 3.3★ (9) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 CM Video Lessons Manager – Simplify video lessons management for better education 30+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Picture Gallery – Frontend Uploads & Image Editor 400+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #8 ↑2 7 too high 16 CM Registration – Tailored tool for seamless login and invitation-based registrations 30+ · 3.8★ (8) wp.org #20 ↑2 4 too low 17 Video Share VOD – Turnkey Video Site Builder Script 60+ · 2.3★ (12) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 CM FAQ – Simplify support with an intuitive FAQ management tool 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↑1 5 too low 19 CM Curated List Manager – Effortless tool for link management 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 Dropp Pay Per Use 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 Contact Forms, Live Support, CRM, Video Messages 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 CM Product Recommendation Widget 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 Webcam Microphone Screen Recorder – Media Capture 30+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24 CM Map Locations – Visualize and share your locations in a few clicks 70+ · 2.5★ (4) 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.