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

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 widgets”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 3 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

Essential Widgets shows at wp.org #9 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.5★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty places #10 on merit, 5.0★ from 1244 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #1 2 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #2 3 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #5 ↑1 6 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #8 ↑4 2 too low 7 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #11 ↓1 2 too low 10 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #22 ↓1 12 too low 11 Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) wp.org #10 ↓3 1 too high 12 Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #6 ↓1 6 too high 13 Widgets for Airbnb Reviews 6K+ · 4.6★ (60) wp.org #13 ↑5 14 WP Tripadvisor Review Widgets 20K+ · 4.1★ (116) wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too low 15 Widgets for Booking.com Reviews 9K+ · 4.9★ (65) wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too low 16 Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108) wp.org #15 ↑5 1 too high 17 Widgets for Reviews & Recommendations 8K+ · 4.6★ (98) wp.org #23 ↓1 6 too low 18 HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) wp.org #24 6 too low 19 Widgets for Social Photo Feed 10K+ · 4.7★ (28) wp.org #20 ↑3 1 too low 20 Drag and Drop Multiple File Upload for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (20) wp.org #17 ↓2 3 too high 21 C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too high 22 Ultimate Floating Widgets – Make popup sidebars 3K+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too high 23 HM Multiple Roles 1K+ · 3.6★ (5) wp.org #14 ↓1 9 too high 24 Essential Widgets 10K+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #9 15 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.