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

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 “podcasting”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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 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

Seriously Simple Transcripts shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 302 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 Seriously Simple Podcasting 20K+ · 4.7★ (330) wp.org #1 2 Podcast Player – Your Podcasting Companion 10K+ · 4.8★ (113) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 PowerPress Podcasting plugin by Blubrry 20K+ · 4.6★ (231) wp.org #3 4 Buzzsprout Podcasting 5K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Church Admin 900+ · 4.7★ (17) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Podcast Importer SecondLine 4K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #5 ↑3 1 too high 7 Compact WP Audio Player 20K+ · 4.1★ (69) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Church Content – Sermons, Events and More 3K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #14 6 too low 9 MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar 20K+ · 4.8★ (302) wp.org #15 ↑1 6 too low 10 Podlove Podcast Publisher 3K+ · 4.3★ (45) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 Podlove Web Player 4K+ · 3.7★ (14) wp.org #8 ↓3 3 too high 12 Advanced Sermons 1K+ · 4.7★ (22) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 Seriously Simple Stats 5K+ · 3.6★ (13) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 rtMedia for WordPress, BuddyPress and bbPress 7K+ · 3.7★ (152) wp.org #22 ↓2 8 too low 15 Liteweight Podcast – run your podcast site without the bloat 400+ · 4.3★ (9) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too low 16 Captivate Sync 1K+ · 3.2★ (10) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 Simple Podcasting 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 10 too high 18 Seriously Simple Speakers 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓1 2 too low 19 RSS Feed Pro 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓2 4 too low 20 Selfhost Podcasting – Create Podcasts Easily 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 7 too high 21 HametuPack 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 22 Podigee for WordPress: Podcast Episodes to Blog Posts 600+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #19 3 too high 23 WP Podcasts Manager 60+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 Seriously Simple Transcripts 900+ · 3.0★ (1) wp.org #11 13 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.