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

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 “misspell”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

ElasticProbe shows at wp.org #7 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its — 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

Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 129 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 HTML5 Audio Player – The Ultimate No-Code Podcast, MP3 & Audio Player 10K+ · 4.6★ (169) wp.org #1 2 CRM Perks Integration for Gravity Forms and Salesforce 1K+ · 4.9★ (139) wp.org #9 ↓3 7 too low 3 Integration for Salesforce and Contact Form 7, WPForms, Elementor, Formidable, Ninja Forms 1K+ · 5.0★ (61) wp.org #10 ↓2 7 too low 4 Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode 2K+ · 4.8★ (129) wp.org #14 ↓2 10 too low 5 Integration for WooCommerce and Salesforce 200+ · 4.9★ (45) wp.org #11 ↓2 6 too low 6 NivoSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Instant Search – Turn Search Into Sales 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 ↓2 4 too high 8 Popslide PRO – popup alternative 100+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #19 ↓3 11 too low 9 bbboing 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 ↓2 5 too high 10 רב מסר – תוסף הטפסים (Responder) 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too high 11 SearchWright — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 ↓2 6 too high 12 Biwem Search Autocomplete — Smart Search for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓2 6 too high 13 M Misspelling Reporter 10+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↓3 7 too low 14 ElasticProbe — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↓2 7 too high 15 SUC – same user credentials 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too high 16 Double the Donation – A workplace giving tool 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too high 17 VoxFind AI Search — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too high 18 ZubFeat AI Featured Image — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 Smart Search URL Auto Correct — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓3 1 too high 20 Email Checker 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓3 3 too high 21 T Tour Dates 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓3

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.