wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “post search”
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 search”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 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 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
WP Search with Algolia shows at wp.org #16 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 7K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 24 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #1 2 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #2 3 
Search Exclude 50K+ · 4.8★ (218)
wp.org #3 ↑2 4 
Search Regex 100K+ · 4.7★ (101)
wp.org #4 5 
Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528)
wp.org #6 ↓3 1 too low 6 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #7 ↑2 1 too low 7 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #5 ↑7 2 too high 8 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #8 ↓1 9 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #12 ↑3 3 too low 10 
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter 70K+ · 4.8★ (266)
wp.org #9 ↑4 1 too high 11 
Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↓4 1 too high 12 
FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.9★ (1815) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 1 too high 13 
Search & Filter 40K+ · 4.5★ (175)
wp.org #13 ↑1 14 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #14 ↓4 15 
ACF: Better Search 40K+ · 4.9★ (165)
wp.org #20 ↓2 5 too low 16 
The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid 100K+ · 4.8★ (265)
wp.org #21 ↑1 5 too low 17 
Post Duplicator 200K+ · 4.8★ (80)
wp.org #17 ↓1 18 
Advanced Woo Search – Product Search for WooCommerce 60K+ · 4.8★ (248) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓7 3 too high 19 
Post Type Switcher 200K+ · 4.8★ (255)
wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20 
Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58)
wp.org #18 ↑1 2 too high 21 
SearchWP Live Ajax Search 40K+ · 4.7★ (36)
wp.org #19 ↓2 2 too high 22 WP Search with Algolia 7K+ · 4.5★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #16 6 too high 23 
Rate My Post – Star Rating Plugin by FeedbackWP 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
Jetpack Search 5K+ · 4.5★ (10) thin reviews
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.