wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “migrating”
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 “migrating”, 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
Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #8 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.2★ average from 25 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 1966 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706)
wp.org #1 2 
Polylang 900K+ · 4.7★ (3004)
wp.org #2 3 
Migrate Guru – Site Migration & Cloning 200K+ · 4.9★ (1645)
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↓1 5 
User Menus – Nav Menu Visibility 80K+ · 5.0★ (1281)
wp.org #9 4 too low 6 
SiteGround Migrator 80K+ · 4.3★ (403)
wp.org #6 7 
User Profile Picture 40K+ · 4.6★ (59)
wp.org #7 ↑1 8 
OMGF | GDPR/DSGVO Compliant, Faster Google Fonts. Easy. 300K+ · 4.7★ (213)
wp.org #11 3 too low 9 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966)
wp.org #23 14 too low 10 
DreamHost Automated Migration 20K+ · 4.6★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #5 5 too high 11 
Post Duplicator 200K+ · 4.8★ (80)
wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 
SEO Redirection Plugin – 301 Redirect Manager 10K+ · 4.3★ (73)
wp.org #16 ↑8 4 too low 13 
Username Changer 40K+ · 4.3★ (77)
wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too low 14 
WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 1 too low 15 
Cloudways WordPress Migrator 10K+ · 4.2★ (36)
wp.org #14 1 too high 16 
Pressable Automated Migration 4K+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #10 6 too high 17 Custom Order Numbers for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓1 9 too high 18 
Web3Press – Migrating to 3ook.com Decentralized Bookstore 300+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 D Database Collation Fix 1K+ · 5.0★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 
Pantheon Migrations 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #12 8 too high 21 
WebToffee WP Backup and Migration 5K+ · 4.5★ (49) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 1 too low 22 
Migrate to WordPress.com 2K+ · 4.7★ (9) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 
Migrate To Liquid Web & Nexcess 1K+ · 4.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too high 24 
WP Anything Downloader 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 3 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.