wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “multisite author”
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 “multisite author”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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 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
Default Post Author shows at wp.org #4 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 1K+ 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
WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 2470 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Author Avatars List/Block 4K+ · 4.8★ (32)
wp.org #1 2 
Individual Multisite Author 30+ · 5.0★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #2 3 W WP Author Slug 3K+ · 4.8★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #3 4 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #10 6 too low 5 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470)
wp.org #13 8 too low 6 
Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1237)
wp.org #14 ↑9 8 too low 7 
All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too low 8 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #7 1 too high 9 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #8 ↑3 1 too high 10 
My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159)
wp.org #11 ↓2 1 too low 11 
Co-Authors Plus 20K+ · 3.5★ (77)
wp.org #6 ↓1 5 too high 12 
Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376)
wp.org #16 ↓2 4 too low 13 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #19 ↓2 6 too low 14 
User Role Editor 700K+ · 4.5★ (288)
wp.org #15 ↑3 1 too low 15 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758)
wp.org #17 ↑5 2 too low 16 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #18 2 too low 17 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #23 ↑1 6 too low 18 
WebberZone Top 10 — Popular Posts 10K+ · 4.6★ (102)
wp.org #21 3 too low 19 
hCaptcha for WP 70K+ · 4.6★ (88)
wp.org #22 ↓6 3 too low 20 
Product Author for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↑1 15 too high 21 Default Post Author 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #4 17 too high 22 
XO Security 30K+ · 5.0★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 
SiteGuard WP Plugin 600K+ · 4.3★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-currenthost-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #12 11 too high 24 
Comment Moderation/Notification Recipients 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) 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.