wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “order category”
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 “order category”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Post Order By Category shows at wp.org #6 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 538 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.
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #1 2 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Custom Taxonomy Order 50K+ · 4.8★ (96)
wp.org #4 5 
List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #5 6 
Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.9★ (538)
wp.org #18 11 too low 8 
Product Category Slider & Grid for WooCommerce – Reno Product Category 9K+ · 4.8★ (91) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 9 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 10 
Bulk remove posts from category 10K+ · 4.6★ (100)
wp.org #15 5 too low 11 
OneClick Chat to Order 30K+ · 4.8★ (84) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 12 P Post Order By Category 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #6 6 too high 13 
Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42) not PHP-current
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Art WooCommerce Order One Click 4K+ · 5.0★ (36)
wp.org #16 2 too low 15 
WP Sort Order 6K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #10 5 too high 16 
Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin 3K+ · 4.6★ (73)
wp.org #19 3 too low 17 
WP Term Order 6K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #13 4 too high 18 
Category Posts in Custom Menu 2K+ · 4.8★ (43)
wp.org #24 6 too low 19 
Same Category Posts 3K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #14 5 too high 20 
Order Approval for Woocommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 3 too high 21 
Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 1 too low 22 
Order Minimum/Maximum Amount Limits for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (40) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 1 too high 23 
Real Category Management: Content Management in Category Folders 2K+ · 4.1★ (17) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #23 24 
WP Taxonomy Order 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #20 4 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.