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

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 “pac”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Demfilz Shipping Rates for Australia Post shows at wp.org #8 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Correios Automático – Rastreio, Frete, Etiqueta, Declaração e Devolução places #4 on merit, 5.0★ from 90 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Claudio Sanches – Correios for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.9★ (868) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 Virtuaria Correios – Frete, Etiqueta, Rastreio e Declaração 500+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 SuperFrete 1K+ · 3.8★ (4) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Correios Automático – Rastreio, Frete, Etiqueta, Declaração e Devolução 4K+ · 5.0★ (90) wp.org #20 16 too low 5 Library Bookshelves 500+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 Manda Bem 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Insert Special Characters 3K+ · 4.9★ (8) wp.org #17 10 too low 8 PAC Order Bridge for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 All Currencies for WooCommerce 900+ · 3.8★ (9) wp.org #18 9 too low 10 PAC Taxonomy Bridge for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 PAC Products Bridge for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Frenet Shipping Gateway for WooCommerce – Correios, Etiquetas e Rastreio 4K+ · 3.9★ (8) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Demfilz Shipping Rates for Australia Post 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Envio Ecom — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑4 4 too high 15 EntregaFlow Contract Shipping with Correios for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 CaptchaKit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too high 17 KeenToDesign Shipping with Australia Post for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 CepCerto – Cálculo de Frete Correios — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 I IH Shipping for Australia Post — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 InboxGeek LiveLeads 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 4 too high 21 Simple Podcasting 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 ESIR – WIN Fiskal (fiskalna kasa) — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 Insecure Content Warning 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 24 Etiqueta e declaração dos Correios para WooCommerce 200+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #24

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.