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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “orphaned tables”

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 “orphaned tables”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 2 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

CodingBunny Database Cleaner shows at wp.org #10 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair places #7 on merit, 5.0★ from 150 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #1 2 Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #2 3 WP Reset 300K+ · 4.8★ (1014) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP-Sweep 100K+ · 4.7★ (138) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Search Regex 100K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #5 6 Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ · 5.0★ (133) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Database Cleaner: Cleanup, Optimization & Repair 10K+ · 5.0★ (150) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 Export Media URLs 7K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 LWS Cleaner 20K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too high 10 WPS Cleaner 10K+ · 4.3★ (99) wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too low 11 M Chart 3K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Easy Actions Scheduler Cleaner 900+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 Link Whisper Free 30K+ · 4.2★ (150) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 Delete Expired Transients 4K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too high 15 Media Library Tools – AI-Powered Rename, Clean & CSV Import/Export 2K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #15 ↑3 16 Falcon – Cache, Performance, Security, Cleanup, and Tweaks 2K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #23 ↑1 7 too low 17 CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↑3 7 too high 18 SweepPress: Website Cleanup and Optimization 500+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 Templ Optimizer 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #19 ↑1 20 Compromise Scanner for wp2shell 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↑1 21 OrphanPages – Internal Link Audit, Orphaned Pages, Broken Links & SEO Content Structure Analyzer 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 TableCrafter – Data to Beautiful Tables 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Intouch Orphan Table Cleaner 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑1 5 too high 24 Resetify – Advanced Reset & Database Cleaner 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↑1 3 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.