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

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 showcase module”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Infinity TNC Divi Modules shows at wp.org #13 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 900+ 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

Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 4353 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7308) wp.org #1 2 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2044) wp.org #2 3 The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid 100K+ · 4.8★ (265) wp.org #3 ↑3 4 Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (209) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 Testimonial – Testimonial Slider and Showcase Plugin 20K+ · 4.6★ (67) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #11 5 too low 7 Post Grid Gutenberg Blocks – PostX 30K+ · 4.8★ (265) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Easy Social Feed – Social Photos Gallery and Post Feed for WordPress 30K+ · 4.6★ (502) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 WP RSS Aggregator – RSS Import, Feed to Post, Autoblogging, AI Content 40K+ · 4.5★ (564) wp.org #17 ↑1 8 too low 10 Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4353) wp.org #20 ↑1 10 too low 11 Timeline Module for Divi 3K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #4 ↓1 7 too high 12 Team – Team Members Showcase Plugin 10K+ · 4.5★ (67) wp.org #12 13 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #21 ↓1 8 too low 14 Prime Slider – Hero Slider, Carousel, WooCommerce & Post Slider Elementor Addons 100K+ · 4.5★ (82) wp.org #14 15 Team Members Showcase 4K+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Logo Slider – Logo Showcase, Logo Carousel, Logo Gallery and Client Logo Presentation 30K+ · 4.8★ (250) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Logo Slider and Showcase 7K+ · 3.9★ (17) wp.org #7 10 too high 18 Blogmentor – Blog Layouts for Elementor 4K+ · 4.7★ (7) wp.org #10 8 too high 19 GutenKit – Page Builder Blocks, Patterns, and Templates for Gutenberg Block Editor 80K+ · 4.5★ (47) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 Vimeotheque – Vimeo WordPress Plugin & Video Gallery 2K+ · 4.6★ (26) wp.org #24 4 too low 21 Post Timeline 800+ · 4.2★ (21) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 Divi Carousel Lite – Responsive Carousel & Slider Modules for Divi Builder 6K+ · 3.9★ (19) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 Magazine Blocks – Blog Designer, Magazine & Newspaper Website Builder, Page Builder with Posts Blocks, Post Grid 6K+ · 4.9★ (9) wp.org #23 24 Infinity TNC Divi Modules 900+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 11 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.