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

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 “plastic”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 2 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

MessageSpring Omnichannel shows at wp.org #11 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its — 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 3DPrint Lite 600+ · 4.8★ (37) wp.org #1 2 Medical Before After Gallery 30+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Customer Notes for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 stepFORM: Plugin for Building Contact Forms, Advanced Multi-Step Forms, Payment Integration, and Custom Contact Form Solutions 100+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Spreadconnect 600+ · 2.8★ (9) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 SKT Templates – 100% Free Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 20K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 ↓1 9 too low 7 Flipa PDF Flipbook – PDF Viewer and Page Flip Book 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #18 ↓2 11 too low 8 Botelix – Deposit Return Scheme (Pfand, SGR, Kaucja, Zaloh) — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 CatCode Packaging Report — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too high 10 EPOS Gateway for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too high 11 3D Print Pricing Calculator 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓1 9 too low 12 RAMZAN Packaging Reports for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 Ombel Packaging Records for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too high 14 PackVerity — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 All Sign Customizer for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Kashida Color Library — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too high 17 MessageSpring Omnichannel — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too high 18 S Simple Multiple Choice Quiz — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 Pinecast WordPress Sync 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 mTasku payment for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 Entity Schema 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 WP DLM FAQ 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 Virtue – Charity Donations UK — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 PrintPrice: STL & 3MF Price Calculator for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 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.