wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “order list”
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 list”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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
Order List Table Elementor Widget for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #10 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
W4 Post List places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 94 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. 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 #2 3 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #3 4 
Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce 100K+ · 5.0★ (350)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #6 7 
Custom Taxonomy Order 50K+ · 4.8★ (96)
wp.org #7 8 
Product Customer List for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.9★ (75)
wp.org #8 9 
Order Export & Order Import for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.7★ (337) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 
VS Event List 8K+ · 4.9★ (82)
wp.org #13 3 too low 11 W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94)
wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too low 12 
List categories 5K+ · 4.5★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #9 3 too high 13 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too low 14 
Custom Order Status Manager for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.7★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↓6 2 too low 15 
Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42) not PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16 
List Custom Taxonomy Widget 8K+ · 4.7★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 
OneClick Chat to Order 30K+ · 4.8★ (84) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too low 18 
WP Sort Order 6K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19 
WC Cancel Order 5K+ · 4.9★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too low 20 
Ultimate Post List 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #23 3 too low 21 
Repeat Order for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.3★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #12 9 too high 22 
Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 10K+ · 3.3★ (32) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Order List Table Elementor Widget for WooCommerce 400+ · 4.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↑11 13 too high 24 
Puddinq order list 30+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 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.