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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “open directory”

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 “open directory”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 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

WP Open Street Map shows at wp.org #12 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.9★ average from 10 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 8706 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Social Preview and Open Graph Tags 50K+ · 4.6★ (122) wp.org #1 2 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #2 3 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #3 4 We’re Open! 5K+ · 5.0★ (45) wp.org #4 5 Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Directorist: AI-Powered Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads 20K+ · 4.6★ (698) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (222) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Classified Listing – AI-Powered Classified ads & Business Directory 9K+ · 4.8★ (138) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too low 10 Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro 2K+ · 4.7★ (96) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Web Directory plugin Free – AI powered 300+ · 4.1★ (20) wp.org #5 6 too high 12 Active Directory Integration / LDAP Integration 4K+ · 4.9★ (211) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too low 13 UsersWP – Front-end login form, User Registration, User Profile & Members Directory plugin for WP 20K+ · 4.7★ (183) wp.org #17 ↑1 4 too low 14 Simple Business Directory – AI Powered 300+ · 4.9★ (62) wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too low 15 Contact Form 7 10M+ · 4.0★ (2186) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 Listdom: AI-powered Business Directory with Classifieds Ads Listings 1K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #21 ↑2 5 too low 17 Open Graph Protocol Framework 3K+ · 4.3★ (15) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 WP Directory Kit 2K+ · 4.9★ (35) wp.org #18 ↑1 19 Product Open Pricing (Name Your Price) for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.1★ (19) wp.org #14 ↓1 5 too high 20 Dynamic User Directory 1K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #24 4 too low 21 Open Close Store for WooCommerce – Business Hours & Order Scheduling 600+ · 3.4★ (41) wp.org #23 ↑1 2 too low 22 WP Open Street Map 3K+ · 3.9★ (10) wp.org #12 10 too high 23 Open Search Document 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 Open Accessibility 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 ↓2 5 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.