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

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 “pluign”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 18 of the top 20. 3 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

Scholarship Finder – Free Scholarships – Pick A Scholarship shows at wp.org #4 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 20+ 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

Coming Soon, Under Construction & Maintenance Mode By Dazzler places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 263 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Include Klaviyo for Elementor pro 2K+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #1 2 Accordion FAQ – Compatible With All Page Builder (Elementor, Gutenberg) 30K+ · 4.6★ (676) wp.org #13 11 too low 3 Contact Form 7 – PayPal & Stripe Add-on 7K+ · 4.2★ (125) wp.org #10 7 too low 4 Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215) wp.org #16 12 too low 5 Coming Soon, Under Construction & Maintenance Mode By Dazzler 6K+ · 4.8★ (263) wp.org #21 ↑1 16 too low 6 S Sendbox-Shipping 20+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode 2K+ · 4.8★ (129) wp.org #20 ↑1 13 too low 8 Booking Ultra Pro Appointments Booking Calendar Plugin 400+ · 3.9★ (231) wp.org #19 ↓1 11 too low 9 Quotes and Tips by BestWebSoft 1K+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 B BP Simple Private 400+ · 3.9★ (11) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 MasterStudy LMS Divi Modules 200+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #2 9 too high 12 Knowband Mobile App Builder 10+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 W WP Simple Plugin Upload 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 8 too high 14 Scholarship Finder – Free Scholarships – Pick A Scholarship 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 10 too high 15 L Likert Survey Master 50+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Right Click Disable for Secure 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Quick Download – Themes and Plugins from WP Dashboard 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 10 too high 18 ZeroV99 Tax Number — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 10 too high 19 TID Scroll to Top 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 Barcode Generator for WooCommerce – Create & Print Barcodes Easily 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Small Package Quotes – For Customers of FedEx 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too high 22 TID Custom Login Page — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23 A Abf Elementor Addons (Multiple Map pin) — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Quick Checkout Button For WooCommerce — · 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.