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

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 timeline”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Bold Timeline Lite shows at wp.org #11 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Unlimited Elements for Elementor places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 525 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Timeline Widget For Elementor (Elementor Timeline, Vertical & Horizontal Timeline) 70K+ · 4.8★ (248) wp.org #1 2 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #2 3 Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (210) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Post Timeline 700+ · 4.2★ (21) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #16 ↓2 8 too low 9 Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 5 too high 10 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #21 ↑2 11 too low 11 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #23 12 too low 12 Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Blog Designer Pack – Blog, Post Grid, Post Slider, Post Carousel, Category Post, News 30K+ · 4.7★ (79) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 Post Slider and Post Carousel with Post Vertical Scrolling Widget – A Responsive Post Slider 10K+ · 4.7★ (31) wp.org #14 ↑1 15 Timeline Module for Divi 3K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 Timeline Module for Beaver Builder 2K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too high 18 Timeline Blocks 400+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #9 9 too high 19 Event Post 1K+ · 4.3★ (35) wp.org #22 3 too low 20 Timeline – Tell Your Story Through Events and Milestones 2K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #10 ↑1 10 too high 21 Event Timeline Feed 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Post Layouts 900+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Bold Timeline Lite 10K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓1 12 too high 24 Post slider elementor addons 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.