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

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 “ozh”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 7 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

RSS Feed Checker shows at wp.org #4 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 20+ 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

Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu places #2 on merit, 4.9★ from 74 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

XML Sitemap Generator for Google 1M+ · 4.8★ (2233) wp.org #6 5 too low 2

Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu 2K+ · 4.9★ (74) closure risk stale but ranked wp.org #8 6 too low 3

Always Remember Me 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #1 2 too high 4

No Login 10+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #3 1 too high 5 F Fartscroll 10+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #5 6 B Book Review Library 200+ · 4.8★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #9 3 too low 7

Admin Menus Fixed 100+ · 4.3★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #2 5 too high 8

Disabler 900+ · 5.0★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #7 1 too high 9 O Ozh' Tweet Archiver 30+ · 4.2★ (6) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 6 too low 10 R RSS Feed Checker 20+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #4 6 too high 11 R Remove Ozh unobstrusive credits in footer 100+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 12 O Ozh' Who Sees Ads 100+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 2 too low 13 A azurecurve Posts Archive 10+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 14

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.