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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “one click demo import”

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 “one click demo import”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Mystery Themes Demo Importer shows at wp.org #12 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

The Events Calendar places #7 on merit, 4.2★ from 2456 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 One Click Demo Import 1M+ · 4.3★ (79) wp.org #1 2 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7507) wp.org #7 ↓1 5 too low 3 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14378) wp.org #16 ↑2 13 too low 4 Starter Templates & Sites Pack by ThemeGrill 70K+ · 4.7★ (197) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 Advanced Import 80K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (991) wp.org #19 13 too low 7 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2456) wp.org #21 ↑2 14 too low 8 Rara One Click Demo Import 20K+ · 2.7★ (7) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 All-in-One Video Gallery – Video Player & Galleries for YouTube, Vimeo & Self-Hosted Videos 20K+ · 4.8★ (135) wp.org #22 ↓6 13 too low 10 Easy Demo Importer – A Modern One-Click Demo Import Solution 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 7 too high 11 One Click Upsell Funnel for Woocommerce 1K+ · 4.5★ (98) wp.org #18 ↑1 7 too low 12 Import Eventbrite Events 3K+ · 4.5★ (52) wp.org #23 ↓2 11 too low 13 ST Demo Importer 800+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 Ansar Import – One Click Starter Sites – for Elementor & Themes 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 9 too high 15 F FameTheme Demo Importer 30K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↑1 9 too high 16 Demi – One Click Demo Import, Backup & Site Migration 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 7 too high 17 Demo Importer Plus 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 PostmagThemes One click Demo Import for WordPress Site 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 Inspiro Starter Sites – 20+ Free Demo Templates for Gutenberg & Elementor 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 5 too high 20 H Hoot Import 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Futurio Extra 20K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Crafthemes Demo Import 400+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Mystery Themes Demo Importer 6K+ · 2.0★ (4) wp.org #12 11 too high 24 TS Demo Importer 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓2

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.