wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “plugin license”
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 “plugin license”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.
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
License For Envato shows at wp.org #2 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 9K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy places #9 on merit, 5.0★ from 4625 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.
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708)
wp.org #1 2 
License Manager for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.6★ (147)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940)
wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 
Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504)
wp.org #6 ↑2 1 too low 6 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #8 ↑3 2 too low 7 
GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708)
wp.org #9 ↓2 2 too low 8 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #16 ↑2 8 too low 9 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625)
wp.org #18 ↑4 9 too low 10 
Digital License Manager 800+ · 4.7★ (30)
wp.org #7 ↑2 3 too high 11 
CartFlows – Funnel Builder & Checkout Plugin for WooCommerce 200K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #19 ↑2 8 too low 12 
WP Rollback – Rollback Plugins and Themes 200K+ · 4.9★ (215)
wp.org #17 ↑2 5 too low 13 
Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616)
wp.org #22 9 too low 14 
Sitemap by BestWebSoft – WordPress XML Site Map Page Generator Plugin 20K+ · 4.3★ (115)
wp.org #14 ↑2 15 
Software License Manager 900+ · 4.6★ (35)
wp.org #10 5 too high 16 
Plugin Check (PCP) 10K+ · 4.5★ (36)
wp.org #11 ↑1 5 too high 17 
NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220)
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 License For Envato 9K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #2 16 too high 19 
Contact Form by BestWebSoft – Advanced WP Contact Form Builder for WordPress 30K+ · 4.0★ (292)
wp.org #20 ↑3 1 too low 20 
Gallery by BestWebSoft – Customizable Image and Photo Galleries for WordPress 10K+ · 4.0★ (158)
wp.org #21 ↑3 1 too low 21 
Block Plugin Update 5K+ · 4.4★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑2 8 too high 22 
Plugin Report 1K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑2 7 too high 23 
Plugin Compatibility Checker 9K+ · 4.2★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↑2 11 too high 24 
The Hack Repair Guy’s Plugin Archiver 300+ · 5.0★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #23 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.