wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “padding”
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 “padding”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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
Options for Twenty Twenty shows at wp.org #17 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 31 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Custom Login Page Customizer places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 477 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #1 2 
Email Templates Customizer and Designer for WordPress and WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (133)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by MetaSlider – Image Slider, Video Slider 500K+ · 4.6★ (743)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
LoginPress | wp-login Custom Login Page Customizer 200K+ · 4.8★ (1077)
wp.org #4 5 
Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005)
wp.org #8 ↑4 3 too low 6 
Mailonix – Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (105)
wp.org #6 ↑2 7 
The Icon Block 40K+ · 5.0★ (29)
wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 
DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer 200K+ · 4.9★ (194)
wp.org #9 ↓4 1 too low 9 Custom Login Page Customizer 50K+ · 4.9★ (477)
wp.org #13 4 too low 10 
Advanced WordPress Backgrounds 30K+ · 4.8★ (44)
wp.org #7 ↑4 3 too high 11 
PublishPress Blocks – Block Controls, Block Visibility, Block Permissions 20K+ · 4.7★ (204)
wp.org #12 ↑2 1 too low 12 
Options for Twenty Twenty-One 6K+ · 4.9★ (64)
wp.org #10 2 too high 13 
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (808)
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too low 14 
Style Kits for Elementor 10K+ · 4.7★ (44)
wp.org #11 ↓4 3 too high 15 
Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273)
wp.org #14 ↓5 1 too high 16 
Image Hover Effects – Elementor Addon 40K+ · 4.9★ (83)
wp.org #18 ↑1 2 too low 17 
Bootstrap Blocks 10K+ · 5.0★ (28)
wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too high 18 
Visual CSS Style Editor 30K+ · 4.1★ (90)
wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too low 19 
FancyBox for WordPress 30K+ · 4.6★ (92)
wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20 
Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks – CoBlocks 300K+ · 4.2★ (109)
wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too low 21 Options for Twenty Twenty 3K+ · 4.7★ (31)
wp.org #17 ↑1 4 too high 22 
WP Video Lightbox 30K+ · 4.3★ (67)
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 
Gutena Tabs 6K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24 
MakeITeasy Back To Top 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 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.