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

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 “performace”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Scheduly – Appointment & Equipment Rental Booking Widget shows at wp.org #2 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 40+ 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

WC Fields Factory places #4 on merit, 4.3★ from 168 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 Categories Images 50K+ · 4.5★ (86) wp.org #3 2 too low 2 Correios Automático – Rastreio, Frete, Etiqueta, Declaração e Devolução 4K+ · 5.0★ (90) wp.org #7 ↓1 5 too low 3 Shipi – DHL Express Integration for Woocommerce 100+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WC Fields Factory 7K+ · 4.3★ (168) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Load Video On Click 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #1 4 too high 6 Primer MyData for Woocommerce 100+ · 4.2★ (11) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 Flexible PDF Invoices for WooCommerce & WordPress 6K+ · 4.4★ (37) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Flexible PDF Coupons – Gift Cards & Vouchers for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (31) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 Custom Price for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Flexible Quantity & Price Calculator for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Scheduly – Appointment & Equipment Rental Booking Widget 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 9 too high 12 SaffireTech Bulk Edit Upsells and Cross-Sells for WooCommerce 200+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 Flexible Refund for WooCommerce – EU One Click Return 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 SCM – Smart Currency Manager 40+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 StoreBuild – Online Store Builder for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 Patternly – Gutenberg Starter Templates, Patterns, WordPress Landing Pages & Sites 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 ConverseJS 10+ · 3.6★ (5) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 SCM – Smart Currency Manager – Premium Variant for Dokan 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 4 too low 19 Lastmal Shipping for Woocommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 5 too high 20 MJ Tracker — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 R Redirection Reporting 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Infinite Scroll for Media Library 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 3 too high 23 SCD – Smart Currency Detector – Premium Variant for WCFM 10+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #23

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.