wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “mobile call”

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 “mobile call”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Mobile Call Buttons shows at wp.org #1 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 600+ 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

LiteSpeed Cache places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 2778 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Call Now Button – The Free Click to Call Button for WordPress 200K+ · 4.8★ (102) wp.org #3 2 too low 2

WP Mobile Menu – The Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menu 70K+ · 4.7★ (256) wp.org #4 2 too low 3

AMP for WP – Accelerated Mobile Pages 70K+ · 4.4★ (1319) heavy footprint wp.org #5 2 too low 4

Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #7 3 too low 5

Mobile Call Now & Map Buttons 4K+ · 4.9★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #2 3 too high 6

WP Call Button – Easy Click to Call Button for WordPress 40K+ · 4.7★ (69) wp.org #6 7

Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too low 8

Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #12 ↓3 4 too low 9

LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too low 10

3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 100K+ · 4.6★ (820) wp.org #16 ↓2 6 too low 11

Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 ↑5 2 too low 12

Mobile Contact Bar 9K+ · 4.6★ (30) wp.org #8 4 too high 13

Responsive Menu – Mobile Menu & Hamburger Menu Builder 70K+ · 4.5★ (574) wp.org #19 ↓4 6 too low 14

All-in-one Sticky Floating Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, and 50+ Social Icon Tabs – My Sticky Elements 40K+ · 4.9★ (542) wp.org #22 ↓1 8 too low 15

Specific Content For Mobile – Customize the mobile version without redirections 4K+ · 4.8★ (31) wp.org #10 5 too high 16

SlickNav Mobile Menu 3K+ · 4.8★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #11 5 too high 17

Mobile Call Buttons 600+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #1 16 too high 18

Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery 100K+ · 4.5★ (1581) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓2 3 too low 19

Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓1 4 too low 20

Mobile Contact Line 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓2 6 too high 21

Bolt CTA Button – Floating Call Button for WordPress 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #20 1 too high 22

UnoDock – Mobile Bottom Navigation 700+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #24 2 too low 23

Polanger Contact Chat – Mobile Call Button 100+ · 5.0★ (3) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too high 24

Order on Mobile for WooCommerce 7K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 6 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.