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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “post express”

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 express”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 4 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

Express Payment For Stripe shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 706 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Optima Express IDX 10K+ · 3.2★ (45) wp.org #1 2 Email Subscribers & Newsletters by Icegram Express – Email Marketing, Post Notifications & WooCommerce Marekting Automation for WordPress 50K+ · 4.6★ (1170) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 WP Express Checkout (Fast Payments via PayPal & Stripe) 1K+ · 4.9★ (32) wp.org #2 ↑1 2 too high 5 SmartyParcel – DHL Express, GLS, InPost & Nova Post for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.6★ (56) wp.org #5 6 Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Australia Post WooCommerce Extension 3K+ · 4.4★ (19) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 AfterShip Tracking – All-In-One WooCommerce Order Tracking (Free plan available) 7K+ · 4.8★ (633) wp.org #15 7 too low 9 Temporary Login Without Password 90K+ · 5.0★ (1549) wp.org #20 ↓2 11 too low 10 Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping 100K+ · 4.9★ (706) wp.org #24 ↓5 13 too low 12 NEX-Forms – Ultimate Forms Plugin for WordPress 5K+ · 4.1★ (135) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 Express, Certified Post, Bike Delivery and Iranian Postal Companies for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.1★ (16) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Stripe WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.9★ (53) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 Table Rate Shipping for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (74) wp.org #23 ↓1 8 too low 16 Shipping Live Rates for USPS for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (30) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 Pay with Vipps and MobilePay for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 PeachPay — Payments & Express Checkout for WooCommerce (supports Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, NMI) 300+ · 4.2★ (33) wp.org #19 ↑5 1 too low 19 Avif Express 300+ · 3.8★ (9) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 TrackShip for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.7★ (52) wp.org #22 ↓2 2 too low 21 ELEX WooCommerce Australia Post Shipping 200+ · 4.1★ (13) wp.org #12 9 too high 22 Express Payment For Stripe 30+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 12 too high 23 Express Shop for WooCommerce Product Table 10+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Latest Posts Block – Dynamic Posts Grid, Posts List, Posts Tile with Stunning Layouts for WordPress Blogs & Pages 6K+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #16 8 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.