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

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 “nocaptcha”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 18. 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

NoCaptcha Spam Filter for Contact Form 7 shows at wp.org #3 but places #9 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 20+ 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.

Buried gem

weForms – Easy Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder For WordPress places #4 on merit, 4.5★ from 111 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

CAPTCHA 4WP – Antispam CAPTCHA solution for WordPress 100K+ · 3.2★ (269) low rating, top placement wp.org #1 2

ReCaptcha Integration for WordPress 9K+ · 4.4★ (94) wp.org #7 4 too low 4

weForms – Easy Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder For WordPress 10K+ · 4.5★ (111) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #10 6 too low 5

BrandNestor 100+ · 5.0★ (7) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #5 6

Buy one click for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #9 3 too low 7

Uber reCaptcha 1K+ · 3.7★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8

NM Contact Forms 200+ · 4.8★ (24) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 6 too low 9

NoCaptcha Spam Filter for Contact Form 7 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 ↑1 6 too high 10

Webling 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #8 2 too high 11

Spam Protection Without Captcha 100+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 2 too low 12

TomS reCAPTCHA 500+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #6 6 too high 13

Sargas reCAPTCHA — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 2 too high 14 J JC Recaptcha 100+ · 3.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 3 too low 15

GetOTP OTP Verification 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 16 P Protect Ai Login 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 17

2BC Form Security 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 1 too low 18

bbPress forum utility pack 200+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 6 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.