wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “new users”
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 “new users”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 2 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
Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column shows at wp.org #8 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
User Switching places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 238 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259)
wp.org #1 2 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
New User Approve 20K+ · 4.3★ (131)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #4 5 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #5 6 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Export and Import Users and Customers 50K+ · 4.8★ (442) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 User Switching 200K+ · 4.9★ (238)
wp.org #12 4 too low 9 
User Role Editor 700K+ · 4.5★ (288)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
External Links in New Window / New Tab 30K+ · 4.5★ (77)
wp.org #9 1 too high 11 
Import Users from CSV 10K+ · 4.1★ (44)
wp.org #11 12 
Online Active Users 2K+ · 4.7★ (51)
wp.org #13 1 too low 13 
Contact Form 7 10M+ · 4.0★ (2186)
wp.org #19 ↓4 6 too low 14 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #14 15 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #21 ↓2 6 too low 16 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #23 7 too low 17 
XML Sitemap & Google News 100K+ · 4.4★ (85)
wp.org #22 ↓1 5 too low 18 
WP Remote Users Sync 6K+ · 4.9★ (73) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #8 11 too high 20 
External Links – nofollow, noopener & new window 90K+ · 4.3★ (247) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓2 21 
Send Users Email – Email Subscribers, Email Marketing Newsletter 5K+ · 4.5★ (28)
wp.org #18 ↓1 3 too high 22 
Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓2 2 too low 23 
User Profile Picture – Custom Local Avatars 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑5 8 too high 24 
Custom New User Email Template 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #16 8 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.