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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “plugin update date”

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 update date”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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 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

Auto Update Post Date shows at wp.org #2 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 2K+ 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

WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 4228 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708) wp.org #1 2 Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 پارسی دیت – Parsi Date 100K+ · 4.6★ (130) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 W WP Meta and Date Remover 80K+ · 4.2★ (71) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #6 1 too high 8 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Companion Auto Update 40K+ · 4.8★ (105) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Show modified Date in admin lists 6K+ · 4.9★ (32) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641) wp.org #20 3 too low 18 Auto Update Post Date 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 16 too high 19 Disable All WordPress Updates 20K+ · 4.8★ (69) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Content Update Scheduler 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 WP Plugin Manager – Deactivate plugins per page 3K+ · 4.4★ (23) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 Order Delivery Date And Time 1K+ · 4.6★ (19) wp.org #23 24 Disable Updates for WordPress Core, Plugins and Themes 9K+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #18 6 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.