wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “post custom”
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 “post custom”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 13 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Post Views Counter places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 1238 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.
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #1 ↑2 2 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #3 ↓2 4 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #4 ↓2 1 too high 6 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104)
wp.org #5 ↑3 2 too high 8 
Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528)
wp.org #9 ↓4 1 too low 9 
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71)
wp.org #8 ↑1 1 too high 10 Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1238)
wp.org #18 8 too low 11 
Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 
Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (1028)
wp.org #19 ↓1 7 too low 13 
Custom Permalinks 100K+ · 4.1★ (116)
wp.org #10 3 too high 14 
Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80)
wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too low 15 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #17 ↓4 2 too low 16 
Real Custom Post Order: Create a custom order for your content 8K+ · 4.8★ (42)
wp.org #12 ↑2 4 too high 17 
Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97)
wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too low 18 
ECS – Ele Custom Skin for Elementor 100K+ · 4.6★ (117)
wp.org #21 3 too low 19 
Custom Fonts – Host Your Fonts Locally 400K+ · 4.3★ (62)
wp.org #15 ↑1 4 too high 20 
Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69)
wp.org #22 2 too low 21 MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies 10K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #11 10 too high 22 
Post Duplicator 200K+ · 4.8★ (80)
wp.org #23 ↓3 1 too low 23 C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑1 9 too high 24 
Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types 10K+ · 4.4★ (46)
wp.org #24 ↓3 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.