wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “modify css”
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 “modify css”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.
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
Disable CSS JS Cache shows at wp.org #7 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 400+ 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
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 8709 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.
Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104)
wp.org #1 2 
CSS & JavaScript Toolbox 10K+ · 4.8★ (84)
wp.org #2 3 
Jetpack Boost – Website Speed, Performance and Critical CSS 200K+ · 4.7★ (612)
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 
PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4229)
wp.org #8 ↑2 3 too low 6 
Advanced iFrame 40K+ · 4.4★ (54)
wp.org #4 ↓1 2 too high 7 
Visual CSS Style Editor 30K+ · 4.1★ (90)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #11 ↑7 3 too low 9 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8709)
wp.org #15 6 too low 10 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #13 3 too low 11 
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #10 ↓2 1 too high 12 
Widget CSS Classes 80K+ · 4.9★ (74)
wp.org #12 13 
FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995)
wp.org #24 ↓1 11 too low 14 
WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346)
wp.org #18 4 too low 15 
EWWW Image Optimizer 1M+ · 4.8★ (1842)
wp.org #22 ↓6 7 too low 16 
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress 1M+ · 4.8★ (1497)
wp.org #23 ↑1 7 too low 17 
Options for Twenty Twenty-One 6K+ · 4.9★ (64)
wp.org #17 ↑2 18 
WP Super Minify • Minify, Compress and Cache HTML, CSS & JavaScript 8K+ · 4.1★ (73)
wp.org #14 4 too high 19 
Options for Twenty Seventeen 8K+ · 4.8★ (57)
wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too low 20 
Remove "Powered by WordPress" 20K+ · 4.4★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too high 21 
Custom CSS for Elementor 5K+ · 4.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #9 12 too high 22 
LWS Tools 10K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↑1 3 too high 23 Disable CSS JS Cache 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #7 16 too high 24 
MAS Static Content 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 4 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.