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

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 “obsolete”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

PDEV Image Optimizer – WebP & AVIF shows at wp.org #7 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Smart Manager – Bulk Edit for WooCommerce places #3 on merit, 4.4★ from 288 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Photonic Gallery & Lightbox for Flickr, SmugMug & Others 10K+ · 4.8★ (193) wp.org #1 2 H HTTP 410 (Gone) responses 4K+ · 4.6★ (21) wp.org #2 3 Smart Manager – Bulk Edit for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.4★ (288) wp.org #9 ↑1 6 too low 4 Simple Disable XML-RPC 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 PWA 20K+ · 4.3★ (27) wp.org #11 ↓2 6 too low 6 Clear Autoptimize Cache Automatically 4K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 Simple:Press Forum 300+ · 4.2★ (24) wp.org #18 11 too low 8 Variable Inspector 200+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 Uptodown APK Download Widget 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 Thumbnail Manager 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↓1 6 too high 11 System Requirements Check 30+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 iTunes Link Engine 100+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too low 13 AI Generative Search Optimizer 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓2 5 too high 14 PDEV Image Optimizer – WebP & AVIF 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 7 too high 15 Catalogue de formation Digiforma 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16 Aged Content Message 10+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 Obselling – Sell other products of an obsolete product or out of stock. — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↓2 7 too high 18 Security Hardener 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too low 19 The Word Widget 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too high 20 Ultimate WP DB Manager – WordPress Database Backup, Cleanup & Optimize 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 21 Selective Thumbnail Regenerator 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑1 22 Header Junk Remover 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓2 23 Incompatibility Status 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 24 Advanced editor for Additional CSS — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.