wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “native share”
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 “native share”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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
Social Share Block – Help Visitors Spread Your Content Everywhere shows at wp.org #7 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 4514 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.
Super Web Share – Native Social Sharing Button 2K+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #1 2 
AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 3 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #3 4 
Polylang 900K+ · 4.7★ (3004)
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
Social Sharing Plugin – Sassy Social Share 100K+ · 4.8★ (523)
wp.org #11 6 too low 6 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519)
wp.org #13 7 too low 7 
Share Buttons & AI-powered Summaries 1K+ · 5.0★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #5 2 too high 8 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #14 6 too low 9 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #21 12 too low 10 Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder 600K+ · 4.9★ (4514)
wp.org #23 13 too low 11 
Highlight and Share – Unobtrusive and Lightweight Content Sharing 700+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #9 2 too high 12 
PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322)
wp.org #24 12 too low 13 
Visibility – Lightweight SEO, AEO and GEO for Search and AI 600+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #4 9 too high 14 
WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144)
wp.org #18 4 too low 15 
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone 20K+ · 4.8★ (194) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 3 too high 16 
Nobs • Share Buttons 3K+ · 4.7★ (93)
wp.org #17 1 too low 17 
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current
wp.org #16 1 too high 18 
Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) heavy footprint
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
WP Socializer – Simple & Easy Social Media Share Icons 10K+ · 4.5★ (128)
wp.org #20 1 too low 20 
ShareThis Share Buttons 10K+ · 3.5★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 14 too high 21 
Superb Social Media Share Buttons and Follow Buttons 6K+ · 4.4★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #15 6 too high 22 
WooCommerce PayPal Payments 800K+ · 2.9★ (583) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 3 too high 23 Social Share Block – Help Visitors Spread Your Content Everywhere 2K+ · 4.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #7 16 too high 24 
Share Cart for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #10 14 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.