Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “pool”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

Skittybop shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 200+ 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

OAuth Single Sign On – SSO (OAuth Client) places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 327 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 Football Pool 900+ · 4.9★ (83) wp.org #1 2 HD Quiz 6K+ · 4.9★ (145) wp.org #2 3 Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (248) wp.org #5 ↑4 2 too low 4 Watu Quiz 3K+ · 4.7★ (137) wp.org #7 ↓3 3 too low 5 SpinupWP 30K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too high 6 OAuth Single Sign On – SSO (OAuth Client) 6K+ · 4.9★ (327) wp.org #15 ↓3 9 too low 7 SEO Engine – Smart SEO with AI, Schema & Redirection for WordPress 1K+ · 4.9★ (48) wp.org #11 ↑8 4 too low 8 CardanoPress – Cardano Blockchain Integration for WordPress 40+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #9 ↓3 1 too low 9 Awesome Support – WordPress HelpDesk & Support Plugin 6K+ · 3.5★ (194) wp.org #17 8 too low 10 LeadConnector 20K+ · 2.3★ (11) wp.org #3 7 too high 11 Easy PHP Settings 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too low 12 Helpful – Article Feedback Plugin 600+ · 4.4★ (8) wp.org #12 ↑4 13 Revi.io – Customer and Product Reviews 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 BundleBoss – Product Bundles, Mix and Match & Build a Box for WooCommerce 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too high 15 Random Image Block for Block Editor 90+ · 3.8★ (4) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 PressPrimer Quiz – AI Quiz Maker, Exam Builder & LMS Assessment Plugin 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 Skittybop 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 ↑2 11 too high 18 Bukza 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 19 CardanoPress – Initial Stake Pool Offering Dashboard 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 6 too high 20 A WP Life Companion 6K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too low 21 FORGEOPS CONTENT – AI Content Writer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 Mailster SparkPost Integration 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 GemBooking – Appointment Booking, Booking Calendar & Reservations 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓8 4 too high 24 AI Marketing Expert — AI Email Marketing, AI Content Generator, SEO Analyzer, AI Workflow Automation, Social Media & Ai Chatbot 2K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 4 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.