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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “php info”

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 “php info”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

WPLifeCycle – Free PHP Version Info & Website Manager shows at wp.org #7 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ 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

Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder places #7 on merit, 4.5★ from 7323 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (Easy to setup GDPR/CCPA Compliant Cookie Notice) 1M+ · 4.8★ (3236) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Version Info – Server Health Monitor, PHP & MySQL Version Display, Environment Indicators 10K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 WP Last Modified Info 40K+ · 4.9★ (855) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too low 4 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 atec Cache Info 1K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Server Info – System Health & Diagnostics Suite 3K+ · 3.8★ (12) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #17 ↑2 10 too low 8 Easy PHP Settings 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 ↑1 3 too high 9 WP Plugin Info Card – Showcase Beautiful Plugin, Theme, and GitHub Cards Anywhere 400+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #15 ↓3 6 too low 10 PHP Compatibility Checker 200K+ · 2.7★ (131) wp.org #10 11 Meta Generator and Version Info Remover 10K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #19 ↓2 8 too low 12 Extension Info Exporter 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 ↑2 1 too high 13 atec System Info 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Code Engine – PHP Snippets, AI Functions & Automation for WordPress 800+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #23 9 too low 15 phpinfo() WP – Site Health, PHP Compatibility & Server Audit 3K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 Hostinger Tools 3M+ · 3.5★ (40) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Welcart e-Commerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 CL WP Info 90+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↑2 4 too high 19 Lead info with country for Contact Form 7 3K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 WPLifeCycle – Free PHP Version Info & Website Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 13 too high 21 MyServerInfo – Memory Usage, PHP Version, Memory Limit, Execution Time, CPU Usage, Disk Usage 800+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Display Server Info 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓1 10 too high 23 Homepage Helden Contact Info 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑1 10 too high 24 A AffiliateWP – Affiliate Info 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 2 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.