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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “monster widget”

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 “monster widget”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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

Blocks Monster shows at wp.org #11 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 10+ 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

WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software places #3 on merit, 4.9★ from 594 reviews, but shows at wp.org #7. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software 20K+ · 4.9★ (594) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) wp.org #4 ↑1 5 Dokan: AI Powered WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace Solution – Build Your Own Amazon, eBay, Etsy 30K+ · 4.6★ (769) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Prime Slider – Hero Slider, Carousel, WooCommerce & Post Slider Elementor Addons 100K+ · 4.5★ (82) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 GamiPress – Gamification plugin to reward points, badges & ranks in WordPress, now with AI 10K+ · 4.9★ (493) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Block Widgets Monster 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 7 too high 9 WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 WP24 Domain Check 4K+ · 4.3★ (32) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 Paymattic – Secure, Simple Payment & Donation with Subscription Payments, Recurring Donations, Customer Management 3K+ · 4.8★ (44) wp.org #18 ↑1 7 too low 12 Profile Box Shortcode And Widget 1K+ · 3.7★ (7) wp.org #5 ↓1 7 too high 13 RentMy Real-Time Rental Management Plugin 10+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #19 ↑1 6 too low 14 A Arile Extra 10K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↑1 9 too low 15 WP Travel Engine – Elementor Widgets | Create Travel Booking Website Using WordPress and Elementor 10K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Mhr Post Ticker 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Mhr Gallery 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 Travel Booking Toolkit 2K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Blocks Monster 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 FrankenCookie 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑2 4 too high 21 Recooty AI Job Widget — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 UptimeMonster Site Monitor 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 SimpleSocial 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too high 24 Travel Agency Companion – Create Tour & Travel Website Using WP Travel Engine 3K+ · 2.5★ (2) 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.