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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “multiple column block”

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 “multiple column block”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Table Of Contents Block shows at wp.org #14 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 4132 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Make Column Clickable for Elementor 100K+ · 4.9★ (53) wp.org #1 2 Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Block Visibility — Conditional Visibility Control for the Block Editor 40K+ · 4.9★ (108) wp.org #4 5 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #5 6 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 PublishPress Blocks – Block Controls, Block Visibility, Block Permissions 20K+ · 4.7★ (204) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too low 8 Flexible Table Block 40K+ · 4.9★ (34) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too low 11 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #21 ↑1 10 too low 12 SimpLy Gallery 40K+ · 4.8★ (118) wp.org #15 ↑6 3 too low 13 WPZOOM Social Feed Widget & Block 50K+ · 4.3★ (51) wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too low 14 Block Manager 4K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 Bootstrap Blocks 10K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too low 16 Easy Accordion Block – Accordion, FAQ & Collapsible Content for the Block Editor 7K+ · 4.4★ (16) wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too low 17 VK Blocks 100K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18 Block Editor: Reverse Columns on Mobile 700+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #13 ↓2 5 too high 19 Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too low 20 Carousel Block – Showcase Images in Elegant Sliding Displays 7K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #18 ↓2 2 too high 21 Popup builder with Gamification, Multi-Step Popups, Page-Level Targeting, and WooCommerce Triggers 70K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 Block Enhancements – Extended styling for the Block Editor 800+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #23 ↓3 1 too low 23 Table Of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #14 ↓2 9 too high 24 Qi Blocks 60K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #24

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.