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

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 “participation”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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

myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards shows at wp.org #5 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 400+ 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

Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms places #5 on merit, 4.4★ from 433 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 FluentSMTP – WP Mail SMTP Plugin with Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Cloudflare, toSend, Gmail and Any SMTP 700K+ · 4.8★ (410) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Points Management System For Gamification, Ranks, Badges, and Loyalty Rewards Program – myCred 10K+ · 4.6★ (472) wp.org #3 ↓2 1 too low 3 Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 GamiPress – Gamification plugin to reward points, badges & ranks in WordPress, now with AI 10K+ · 4.9★ (493) wp.org #4 5 Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms 20K+ · 4.4★ (433) wp.org #10 5 too low 6 Art WooCommerce Order One Click 4K+ · 5.0★ (36) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Poll Maker by AYS – Versus Polls, Anonymous Polls, Image Polls 6K+ · 4.4★ (91) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Wired Impact Volunteer Management 1K+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #8 9 DHL Shipping Germany for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.0★ (47) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 WebToffee eCommerce Marketing Automation – Email marketing, Popups, Email customizer 10K+ · 4.8★ (54) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 Gratisfaction- Contests Giveaways Referral Loyalty Rewards and Birthdays Program 20+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #17 ↑4 6 too low 12 FlexMeeting – Webinar & Meeting Plugin for Jitsi Meet 1K+ · 4.5★ (38) wp.org #20 ↑3 8 too low 13 WinRocket Raffle and Giveaway Campaigns for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #16 ↑3 3 too low 14 Social Proof Popups & Real-Time Notifications – Herd Effects 900+ · 3.9★ (15) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 TotalPoll for Polls and Contests 1K+ · 4.3★ (45) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 CM Answers – Discussion Forum Plugin for WordPress Q&A 300+ · 3.8★ (86) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 Checklist Opquast Qualité Web 100+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Photo Contest | Competition | Video Contest 200+ · 4.5★ (19) wp.org #23 5 too low 19 EchoRewards – Refer a Friend Rewards Program for WooCommerce 300+ · 3.9★ (8) wp.org #21 ↑3 2 too low 20 Monthly Events Calendar 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 myCred Addons – Ultimate myCred Modules To Support WordPress Gamification and Loyalty Rewards 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 16 too high 22 consentmanager Cookie Banner 5K+ · 2.6★ (10) wp.org #19 ↑1 3 too high 23 Order Tip & Donations for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 Linked Open Profiles 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 6 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.