wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “page view”
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 “page view”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 5 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
Page Visits Counter – Lite shows at wp.org #12 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 5K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager places #6 on merit, 5.0★ from 1526 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
CMS Tree Page View – Reorder Pages with a Drag-and-Drop Tree 50K+ · 4.9★ (365)
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1237)
wp.org #6 ↑13 3 too low 4 
Admin Menu Tree Page View 10K+ · 4.6★ (48)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #10 ↓2 5 too low 6 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1526)
wp.org #19 ↑4 13 too low 7 
Page View Count 10K+ · 4.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
View Transitions 10K+ · 5.0★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 
View Admin As 9K+ · 4.9★ (49)
wp.org #9 10 
WPC Smart Quick View for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.9★ (31) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 5 too high 11 
Simple Page Ordering 100K+ · 4.7★ (131)
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 
Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005)
wp.org #20 8 too low 13 
Landing Page Builder – Coming Soon page, Maintenance Mode, Lead Page, WordPress Landing Pages 8K+ · 4.6★ (202)
wp.org #14 1 too low 14 
Page scroll to id 100K+ · 4.9★ (225) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 
PPWP – Password Protect Pages 30K+ · 4.7★ (271)
wp.org #18 ↓6 3 too low 16 
Nested Pages 90K+ · 4.7★ (126)
wp.org #15 1 too high 17 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #23 ↓7 6 too low 18 
YITH WooCommerce Quick View 80K+ · 3.8★ (27) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓1 10 too high 19 
Greenshift – animation and page builder blocks 70K+ · 4.8★ (107) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 2 too low 20 
Post View Count 4K+ · 4.6★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too high 21 
Bold Page Builder 40K+ · 3.6★ (66)
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Grid/List View for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.4★ (50) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 23 Page Visits Counter – Lite 5K+ · 4.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 11 too high 24 
Addonify – Quick View For WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↑1 7 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.