wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “mp6”
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 “mp6”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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
WC MyParcel Belgium shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
What The File 40K+ · 4.9★ (883)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
AddQuicktag 100K+ · 4.7★ (44)
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (1028)
wp.org #3 4 M MimeTypes Link Icons 8K+ · 5.0★ (26)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Multisite Enhancements 100+ · 4.5★ (49) closure risk stale but ranked
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 T Toolbar Publish Button 5K+ · 4.8★ (46) closure risk
wp.org #11 5 too low 7 
AppPresser – Mobile App Framework 900+ · 3.7★ (53) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 W WP Admin UI Customize 30K+ · 4.6★ (59) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk stale but ranked
wp.org #9 1 too low 9 
Tabify Edit Screen 500+ · 4.9★ (22) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 3 too low 10 
Featured Galleries 3K+ · 4.7★ (20) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 8 too low 11 
Announce from the Dashboard 7K+ · 4.3★ (6) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 W Widgets Area Chooser 10+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 1 too low 13 
Humans TXT 300+ · 5.0★ (7) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 4 too low 14 B Bootstrap Admin 10+ · 4.5★ (14) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #23 9 too low 15 
Hide Admin Icons 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #4 11 too high 16 
Post Status Menu Items 100+ · 5.0★ (6) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #20 4 too low 17 
Theme Blvd Layout Builder 2K+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 A Admin Classic Borders 20+ · 5.0★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 2 too high 19 
Minimalistic Event Manager 60+ · 4.5★ (4) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 
Post Lists View Custom 1K+ · 4.0★ (7) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 
PCo Image Widget Field 100+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #21 22 WC MyParcel Belgium 600+ · 2.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #7 15 too high 23 M MP6 Light 10+ · 4.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 9 too high 24 
Announcements-Duyurular 50+ · 4.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 9 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.