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

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 “nhs”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 16. 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

Take Home Pay Calculator shows at wp.org #4 but places #8 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

NHS Blocks 400+ · 4.5★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #1 2

WP Engine GeoTarget 400+ · 3.6★ (15) thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #5 3 too low 3

Brilliant Web-to-Lead for Salesforce 2K+ · 4.4★ (38) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk wp.org #13 ↓1 10 too low 4

Uptime Robot Plugin for WordPress 600+ · 4.1★ (10) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓1 7 too low 5

Nightingale Companion 300+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #2 3 too high 6

DocxToPost – Import Word (DOCX) & Markdown to Posts, Pages & Custom Post Types 100+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too low 8 T Take Home Pay Calculator — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #4 4 too high 9

SZBTechs AI Blog Writer for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #6 3 too high 10

Direct Admin Reseller Connection 10+ · 3.8★ (4) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11

sigora Area Map — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #7 ↓1 4 too high 12

SEO Content Publisher for 8ight.ai 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too high 13

Thank You NHS 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too high 14

My Featured Posts Widget — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15

US Heat Map 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too low 16

Reseller Connection for OXXA.com — · 1.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 2 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.