wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “post sort”
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 sort”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Display Post Types – Post Grid, post list and post sliders shows at wp.org #8 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 8K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 26 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 2143 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.
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #1 2 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #2 3 
Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 
Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (210) heavy footprint
wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 
WP Sort Order 6K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #3 3 too high 7 
Post Grid 30K+ · 4.3★ (163)
wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too low 8 
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71)
wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9 
WP Popular Posts 100K+ · 4.5★ (249)
wp.org #12 ↓5 3 too low 10 
Posts Table with Search & Sort 3K+ · 4.6★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↑2 4 too high 11 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #20 ↓2 9 too low 12 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #16 ↓4 4 too low 13 
AnWP Post Grid and Post Carousel Slider for Elementor 20K+ · 4.9★ (84)
wp.org #15 2 too low 14 
Post Slider and Post Carousel with Post Vertical Scrolling Widget – A Responsive Post Slider 10K+ · 4.7★ (31)
wp.org #11 ↑2 3 too high 15 Display Post Types – Post Grid, post list and post sliders 8K+ · 5.0★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↑1 7 too high 16 
W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94)
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 
Related Posts By PickPlugins 3K+ · 4.6★ (39)
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
Latest Post Shortcode 4K+ · 4.8★ (46)
wp.org #23 ↓3 5 too low 19 
Product Sort and Display for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.1★ (45)
wp.org #13 ↑1 6 too high 20 
Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑2 6 too high 21 
Ultimate Post List 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #21 22 D Default Sort Ascend 400+ · 4.9★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓2 5 too high 23 
Solid Post Likes 500+ · 4.8★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 
Post Grid & Post Slider – Carousel, Filter Tabs & Related Posts 1K+ · 4.3★ (8) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 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.