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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “mo files”

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 “mo files”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

Speed Up – Translation Cache shows at wp.org #9 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 80+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Advanced AJAX Product Filters places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 387 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453) wp.org #1 2 reCaptcha by BestWebSoft 100K+ · 3.9★ (391) wp.org #2 3 Gallery Lightbox 10K+ · 4.7★ (106) wp.org #3 4 Query Monitor 200K+ · 4.9★ (470) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 Sitemap by BestWebSoft – WordPress XML Site Map Page Generator Plugin 20K+ · 4.3★ (115) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 PDF & Print by BestWebSoft – WordPress Posts and Pages PDF Generator Plugin 9K+ · 3.9★ (102) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 Contact Form by BestWebSoft – Advanced WP Contact Form Builder for WordPress 30K+ · 4.0★ (292) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 Performant Translations 30K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #8 9 Multilanguage by BestWebSoft – WordPress Translation Plugin and Language Switcher 3K+ · 3.8★ (92) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 Watu Quiz 3K+ · 4.7★ (137) wp.org #19 9 too low 11 Error Log Viewer by BestWebSoft 5K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Advanced AJAX Product Filters 50K+ · 4.7★ (387) wp.org #22 10 too low 13 CP Contact Form with PayPal 800+ · 3.8★ (65) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 Contact Form to DB by BestWebSoft – Messages Database Plugin For WordPress 1K+ · 4.2★ (12) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Cryptocurrency Widgets Pack 600+ · 4.8★ (28) wp.org #24 ↓1 9 too low 16 Simple Login Log 5K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 YITH WooCommerce Product Gallery & Image Zoom 10K+ · 3.6★ (71) wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too high 18 M Multi Device Switcher 10K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too high 19 YITH WooCommerce Product Bundles 3K+ · 3.2★ (24) wp.org #10 9 too high 20 Special Text Boxes 1K+ · 3.4★ (21) wp.org #16 ↓2 4 too high 21 Quotes and Tips by BestWebSoft 1K+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #23 ↓2 2 too low 22 Speed Up – Translation Cache 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 13 too high 23 Image & Video XML Sitemap 300+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 Htaccess by BestWebSoft – WordPress Website Access Control Plugin 400+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #21 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.