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

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 wise”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20.

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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Wise Agent Lead Forms shows at wp.org #7 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Easy Accordion – AI-Powered FAQ & Accordion Blocks, Product FAQ places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 358 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 Wise Chat 4K+ · 4.4★ (105) wp.org #1 2 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Post Pay Counter 1K+ · 4.8★ (46) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 The Plus Addons for Elementor – Mega Menu, Header Footer, Post Grid, AI Widgets & Templates 100K+ · 4.6★ (388) wp.org #12 ↓1 8 too low 5 Disabled Source, Disabled Right Click and Content Protection 10K+ · 4.9★ (103) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too low 6 Post List Designer – Category Post, Recent Post, Post List 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 MultiVendorX – WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace AI Powered Solutions 2K+ · 4.8★ (432) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Post Layouts 900+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce – Sell Tickets, Event Registration, RSVP & Event Calendar 6K+ · 4.5★ (167) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 Easy Accordion – AI-Powered FAQ & Accordion Blocks, Product FAQ 70K+ · 4.9★ (358) wp.org #24 14 too low 11 Tabbed Category Product Listing for Woocommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 FancyPost – Post Blocks, Grids & Sliders for Block Editor and Elementor 500+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 Full Screen Background 2K+ · 4.9★ (45) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Logo Slider and Showcase 7K+ · 3.9★ (17) wp.org #10 ↑2 4 too high 15 Post views Stats 900+ · 3.5★ (15) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Booking and Rental Manager for Bike | Car | Resort | Appointment | Dress | Equipment 1K+ · 4.4★ (33) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 Wise Analytics 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 11 too high 18 Whols – Wholesale Prices and B2B Store Solution for WooCommerce 3K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Timeline Module for Beaver Builder 2K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too high 20 N Ni WooCommerce Sales Report – Orders, Revenue & Sales Analytics Dashboard 400+ · 3.8★ (10) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 Wise Agent Lead Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 14 too high 22 Out of the Block: OpenStreetMap 800+ · 4.4★ (8) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 GS Posts Grid – Recent Posts, Category Posts, Post Filter, Slider & List 100+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Shiprocket 10K+ · 2.7★ (20) wp.org #20 ↑1 4 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.