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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “options framework”

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

Apollo13 Framework Extensions shows at wp.org #12 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 20K+ 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

W3 Total Cache places #10 on merit, 4.4★ from 5420 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #1 2 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #2 ↑4 3 Core Framework 10K+ · 5.0★ (41) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 The GDPR Framework By Data443 10K+ · 4.8★ (65) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418) wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too low 6 Meta Box – A Framework for Dynamic Websites 500K+ · 4.8★ (165) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) wp.org #11 ↑2 4 too low 8 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #14 ↑3 5 too low 10 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #18 8 too low 11 CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (Easy to setup GDPR/CCPA Compliant Cookie Notice) 1M+ · 4.8★ (3236) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 CubeWP Framework 3K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #5 ↓1 7 too high 13 Gantry 5 Framework 7K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14 Open Graph Protocol Framework 3K+ · 4.3★ (15) wp.org #7 ↑1 7 too high 15 HTML5 Video Player – embed fast, responsive videos with ease 20K+ · 4.6★ (195) wp.org #23 ↓1 8 too low 16 Advanced Views – Display Framework – Gutenberg/Elementor/Shortcode 3K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 WP Datepicker 6K+ · 4.8★ (37) wp.org #17 18 Classic Visual Editor Options 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #9 ↑1 9 too high 19 One Click Demo Import 1M+ · 4.3★ (79) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too low 20 Video Player for YouTube – Embed Videos Your Visitors Will Love to Watch 1K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 Email Inquiry & Cart Options for WooCommerce 800+ · 3.2★ (20) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 Apollo13 Framework Extensions 20K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 10 too high 23 LAPDI Easy Dev Framework 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Voxycure Framework 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓2 2 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.