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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “outdoor”

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 “outdoor”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 6 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

Visual Bible Verse of the Day Widget shows at wp.org #3 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Location Weather – WordPress Weather Forecast, Air Quality & Weather Widget places #7 on merit, 4.5★ from 103 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 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #1 2 WP GPX Maps 4K+ · 4.1★ (59) wp.org #2 3 Booking Activities 3K+ · 5.0★ (121) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Quiz Builder for WooCommerce – Product Recommendations 2K+ · 5.0★ (102) wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too low 5 Rename Media Files: Improve Your SEO 8K+ · 4.8★ (40) wp.org #6 ↑2 1 too low 6 Waymark 900+ · 5.0★ (54) wp.org #9 ↓6 3 too low 7 Location Weather – WordPress Weather Forecast, Air Quality & Weather Widget 10K+ · 4.5★ (103) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 Datafeedr WooCommerce Importer 4K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too low 9 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #11 ↓1 2 too low 10 WP Directory Kit 2K+ · 4.9★ (35) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 Kali Forms — Contact Form & Drag-and-Drop Builder 10K+ · 4.8★ (89) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too low 12 GPX Route Map 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 8 too high 13 OS DataHub Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 Booqable Rental Plugin 1K+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too high 15 Visual Bible Verse of the Day Widget 1K+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #3 ↓1 12 too high 16 Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #20 ↓2 4 too low 17 Twice Commerce – Easy Rental Booking System 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18 Advanced OSM for Toolset Maps 30+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↓2 3 too low 19 Sign Customiser 30+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↑3 1 too high 20 TryAura: AI Virtual Try-On, Product Visualization & Product Videos for WooCommerce 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 4 too low 21 Newspack Newsletters 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓2 2 too high 22 Funbutler Booking System 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Neon Channel Product Customizer Free 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 ilGhera Restaurant Booking for WordPress 50+ · 1.7★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓3 1 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.