wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “payment express”

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 “payment express”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 10 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

Payment Gateway for Authorize.net for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #8 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 355 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Payment Plugins for Stripe WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.8★ (303) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Payment Plugins for PayPal WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (127) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 2 too low 3

WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement wp.org #2 1 too high 4

WooCommerce PayPal Payments 800K+ · 2.9★ (583) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement wp.org #3 1 too high 5

WP Express Checkout (Fast Payments via PayPal & Stripe) 1K+ · 4.9★ (32) not PHP-current wp.org #6 ↑3 1 too low 6

Payment Plugins Braintree For WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.8★ (149) wp.org #11 5 too low 7

FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Stripe WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.9★ (53) wp.org #10 3 too low 8

Payment Gateway of PayPal for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.2★ (79) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9

WooPayments: Integrated WooCommerce Payments 800K+ · 3.4★ (177) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement wp.org #5 4 too high 10

Pay for Payment for WooCommerce – Payment Gateway Fees & Discounts 10K+ · 4.7★ (71) wp.org #16 6 too low 11

Payment Gateway for PayPal on WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.4★ (73) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12

Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 9 too low 13

Payment Gateway of Stripe for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.4★ (66) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14

Yoco Payments 10K+ · 4.4★ (43) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 1 too high 15

SmartyParcel – DHL Express, GLS, InPost & Nova Post for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.6★ (56) wp.org #23 8 too low 16

PeachPay — Payments & Express Checkout for WooCommerce (supports Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, NMI) 300+ · 4.2★ (33) wp.org #20 4 too low 17

Mollie Payments for WooCommerce 100K+ · 3.6★ (69) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 2 too low 18

Better Payment – Instant Payments, Donations, Fundraising with Subscriptions & More 5K+ · 4.6★ (14) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #17 1 too high 19

Pay with Vipps and MobilePay for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.8★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #22 3 too low 20

Payment Gateway for Authorize.net for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #8 ↓1 12 too high 21

Shipping Live Rates for DHL Express for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↑1 7 too high 22

YITH PayPal Express Checkout for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #18 4 too high 23

Express Payment For Stripe 30+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

Stitch Express 600+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current 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.