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

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 “physics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

PDF Flipbook, WPBakery Addon – Unreal FlipBook shows at wp.org #3 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Paid Membership Subscriptions – Effortless Memberships, Recurring Payments & Content Restriction 10K+ · 4.7★ (270) wp.org #1 2 3D FlipBook – PDF Embedder, PDF Flipbook Viewer, Flipbook Image Gallery 70K+ · 4.8★ (182) wp.org #2 3 HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Slider Hero with Video Background, Animation 3K+ · 4.8★ (34) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 GutSlider – All in One Slider and Carousel Blocks for Gutenberg 6K+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 App for Cloudflare® 1K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 AI ChatBot with ChatGPT and Content Generator by AYS 300+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Cursor Style & Animation 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #8 9 TNC FlipBook 3D – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF Viewer, PDF Embedder 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 too high 10 ModuloBox – NextGen Lightbox 200+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #18 8 too low 11 PicPoints – Interactive Image Map & Hotspot Builder 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 12 PDF Flipbook, WPBakery Addon – Unreal FlipBook 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #3 ↑1 9 too high 13 MotionKit – Visual GSAP Animation Builder for Elementor, Divi, Bricks & More 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓1 14 CursorCraft – Cursor Builder for Elementor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↑1 15 Tada Confetti – Celebration Effects 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 16 Mevabi – Daily Word Puzzle 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too high 17 Throwable 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 PlugVista Carousel Builder Block 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 ButtonCraft Animated Buttons – With Click Analytics — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 PerformX Custom Cursors — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Arts Immersive Lightbox for Elementor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Physicks — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 PI Testimonials 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 W WP Nasa/ADS Query Importer 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 3 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.