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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “nasa”

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 “nasa”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Instant AI Image Generator – Create & Import Images shows at wp.org #8 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Seraphinite Accelerator places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 476 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #1 2 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #2 3 Blackhole for Bad Bots 30K+ · 4.7★ (148) wp.org #3 4 HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Slider Hero with Video Background, Animation 3K+ · 4.8★ (34) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 BotWriter – AI Writer & SEO Content Generator 1K+ · 4.4★ (16) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Seraphinite Accelerator 50K+ · 4.8★ (476) wp.org #23 16 too low 8 Instant Images – One-click Image Uploads from Unsplash, Openverse, Pixabay, Pexels, and Giphy 100K+ · 4.8★ (59) wp.org #20 12 too low 9 E Expand Tabs for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (27) wp.org #19 10 too low 10 Popular Brand Icons – Simple Icons 3K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #24 14 too low 11 W WP Nasa/ADS Query Importer 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 WP Chosen 70+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #22 10 too low 13 Payout payment gateway 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 RoxyAPI: Astrology, Vedic, Forecast, Human Design, Numerology 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 GlobeProof – 3D Customer & Review Globe for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 GoalPrevail Stock Image Importer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Instant AI Image Generator – Create & Import Images 800+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↑1 9 too high 18 30YearWeather Widget — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 Curiosity POTD 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 VisitorAtlas — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 W William Research Admin Agent — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 Live Sea Temperature Widget by SeaTempMap — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 TheGridIndex RSS Importer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 AwareID – Biometric Identity Authentication 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 3 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.