wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “package export”

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 “package export”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20.

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

Blocks Export Import – Backup & Move Gutenberg Blocks as JSON shows at wp.org #6 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 1K+ 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

Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 1281 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259) wp.org #1 2

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #2 3

All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #7 4 too low 4

Export WordPress Pages to Static HTML & PDF — Static Site Export 4K+ · 3.8★ (51) wp.org #4 5

Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #8 3 too low 6

LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #11 5 too low 7

Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144) wp.org #16 9 too low 8

ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #15 7 too low 9

Gift Cards (Gift Vouchers and Packages) (WooCommerce Supported) 1K+ · 4.7★ (115) wp.org #13 4 too low 10

Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281) wp.org #22 12 too low 11

Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1397) wp.org #18 7 too low 12

Packlink PRO for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.4★ (263) wp.org #17 5 too low 13

Prime Mover – Backup and Migration 10K+ · 5.0★ (141) wp.org #19 6 too low 14

Data Tables Generator by Supsystic – Excel-like, WooCommerce & Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.7★ (497) wp.org #24 10 too low 15

Post Export Import with Media 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #5 10 too high 16

Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #20 4 too low 17

WP All Export – User Export Add-On 6K+ · 3.6★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #3 14 too high 18

EZ Downloader – Plugin & Theme 90+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #23 5 too low 19

Premium Packages – Sell Digital Products Securely 2K+ · 3.8★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #10 9 too high 20

Advanced Import 80K+ · 4.4★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #21 1 too low 21

WP Taxonomy Manager 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #14 7 too high 22

Export Orders for WooCommerce – AI & MCP for Claude and ChatGPT 500+ · 3.7★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #9 13 too high 23

Blocks Export Import – Backup & Move Gutenberg Blocks as JSON 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #6 17 too high 24

Small Package Quotes – UPS Edition 40+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #12 12 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.