wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “numbered list”

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 “numbered list”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

Nested Ordered Lists for Block Editor shows at wp.org #5 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 5209 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

AutoListicle: Automatically Update Numbered List Articles 60+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #1 2

Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187) wp.org #4 2 too low 3

Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #6 3 too low 4

Ultimate Post List 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #2 2 too high 5

WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #8 3 too low 6

Team Members – Multi Language Supported Team Plugin 6K+ · 5.0★ (85) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 T Taxonomy List Widget 1K+ · 4.3★ (12) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #3 4 too high 8

AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel 60K+ · 4.7★ (434) wp.org #15 ↓2 7 too low 9

Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #10 1 too low 10

Multi Step for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.7★ (77) wp.org #11 ↑4 1 too low 11

WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More 4M+ · 4.8★ (5209) wp.org #20 ↓1 9 too low 12

HTML Page Sitemap (Block and Shortcode) 10K+ · 4.4★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #7 5 too high 13

Team Members – A WordPress Team Plugin with Gallery, Grid, Carousel, Slider, Table, List, and More 2K+ · 4.7★ (91) wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14

GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) heavy footprint wp.org #19 ↓1 5 too low 15

Logo Carousel – Responsive Logo Slider, Logo Showcase, and Clients Logo Gallery 20K+ · 4.7★ (162) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16

FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) not PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17

Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588) wp.org #24 7 too low 18

Team – Team Members Showcase Plugin 10K+ · 4.5★ (67) wp.org #18 ↓1 19

Heroic Table of Contents 5K+ · 4.7★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #13 ↓1 6 too high 20

Duplicate PP 10K+ · 4.4★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #16 4 too high 21

SmartDoc to Post Importer 300+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #14 7 too high 22

Nested Ordered Lists for Block Editor 100+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #5 17 too high 23

WP-CommentNavi 700+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #22 1 too high 24

Repeater Fields for Elementor Forms 700+ · 4.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓2 1 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.