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

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 import”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Garden Gnome Package shows at wp.org #4 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.2★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 716 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259) wp.org #1 2 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966) wp.org #2 3 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Import Social Events 3K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144) wp.org #10 5 too low 6 All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Import Eventbrite Events 3K+ · 4.5★ (52) wp.org #7 8 Advanced Import 80K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #3 5 too high 9 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #16 ↑1 7 too low 10 S2W – Import Shopify to WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.7★ (42) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #24 13 too low 12 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #17 ↓2 5 too low 13 Gift Cards (Gift Vouchers and Packages) (WooCommerce Supported) 1K+ · 4.7★ (115) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 Schema Package – Structured Data & Rich Snippets Tool for SEO 200+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #23 8 too low 16 Garden Gnome Package 4K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #4 12 too high 17 Post Export Import with Media 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Shipping Packages for WooCommerce – Dropship from multiple locations like AliExpress, eBay, Amazon, Etsy 900+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 WP Smart Import : Import any XML File to WordPress 900+ · 3.9★ (12) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 WP Taxonomy Manager 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 Easy Demo Importer – A Modern One-Click Demo Import Solution 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 WP All Import – User Import Add-On 4K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too high 23 Blocks Export Import – Backup & Move Gutenberg Blocks as JSON 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 Catch Themes Demo Import 5K+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #20 4 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.