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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “modification date”

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 “modification date”, 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

Order Delivery Date Time & Pickup for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #6 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 400+ 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

Media Library Assistant places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 202 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #1 2 Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302) wp.org #2 3 Show modified Date in admin lists 6K+ · 4.9★ (32) wp.org #3 4 XML Sitemap & Google News 100K+ · 4.4★ (85) wp.org #4 5 Search Regex 100K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #5 6 WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Enable Abilities for MCP 5K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #18 9 too low 10 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – RexFeed – Sell on 200+ Shopping Channels 10K+ · 4.8★ (256) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 WP Sitemaps Config 700+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Export and Import Users and Customers 50K+ · 4.8★ (442) wp.org #21 9 too low 13 Simple SEO 10K+ · 4.7★ (33) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276) wp.org #23 9 too low 15 m1.DownloadList 400+ · 4.7★ (21) wp.org #15 16 Date counter 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce – Sell Tickets, Event Registration, RSVP & Event Calendar 7K+ · 4.5★ (167) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Booking Package 10K+ · 4.0★ (15) wp.org #13 6 too high 20 LLM Markdown – Markdown Endpoints for AI Agents 700+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #10 10 too high 21 EventPrime – Events Calendar, Bookings, Tickets & AI 7K+ · 4.4★ (85) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Surbma | Divi Extras 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #22 23 Order Delivery Date Time & Pickup for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 17 too high 24 JSM Adobe XMP / IPTC for WordPress 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 8 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.