wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “pdf cf7”
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 “pdf cf7”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 8 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
PDF for Contact Form 7 + Drag and Drop Template Builder shows at wp.org #4 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 500+ 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
Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 4514 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Database Addon for Contact Form 7 – CFDB7 600K+ · 5.0★ (1875)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
PDF Forms Filler for CF7 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #6 ↓3 3 too low 4 
Ultra Addons for Contact Form 7 60K+ · 4.8★ (107)
wp.org #7 3 too low 5 
Generate PDF using Contact Form 7 4K+ · 4.7★ (40)
wp.org #5 ↑1 6 
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807)
wp.org #10 ↓2 4 too low 7 
CF7 Views – Complete Entry Management for Contact Form 7 1K+ · 4.6★ (17) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 too high 8 Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder 600K+ · 4.9★ (4514)
wp.org #18 ↓1 10 too low 9 
Redirection for Contact Form 7 200K+ · 4.7★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 ↑1 10 
E2Pdf – Export Pdf Tool for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (59) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11 
Tablesome Table – Contact Form DB – WPForms, CF7, Gravity, Forminator, Fluent 7K+ · 4.8★ (89) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #11 ↑2 12 
ARI Fancy Lightbox – Popup for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (71)
wp.org #20 8 too low 13 
Contact Form to Any API 8K+ · 5.0★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 3 too low 14 
Data Source for Contact Form 7 300+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 
LukasApps CAPTCHA tools for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.1★ (48) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 1 too high 16 
JobWP – Job Board Plugin for WordPress | Job Listings, Career Page & Applications 1K+ · 5.0★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑3 5 too low 17 PDF for Contact Form 7 + Drag and Drop Template Builder 500+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↑1 13 too high 18 
WP2LEADS | WordPress und KlickTipp einfach verbinden – WooCommerce und KlickTipp einfach verbinden 70+ · 4.8★ (13) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 6 too low 19 
EntryDashboard – Database Addon & Sync for WPForms, CF7, Elementor & More 50+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #19 20 
Contact Form 7 Submission Summary & PDF Print 300+ · 4.8★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 5 too high 21 
Campi Moduli Italiani 400+ · 4.7★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↑6 4 too high 22 
Cookies, Terms & Conditions Consent Log 100+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #22 23 
PDF Forms Filler for WPForms 600+ · 2.6★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 10 too high 24 
ShopMagic for Contact Form 7 and WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓2 1 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.