wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “postcode shipping”

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 “postcode shipping”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

bpost-shipping-platform shows at wp.org #11 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 500+ 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

Flat Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce places #10 on merit, 4.2★ from 76 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83) wp.org #1 2

WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3

Shipping Simulator for WooCommerce 6K+ · 5.0★ (40) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4

Product page shipping calculator for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (77) wp.org #7 3 too low 5

Campos Checkout Brasileiro para WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (45) wp.org #6 1 too low 6

WC – APG Weight Shipping 6K+ · 4.3★ (49) wp.org #5 1 too high 7

PI Advanced Flat rate / Conditional shipping for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (58) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8

Freetop – Free Shipping Bar for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (40) wp.org #13 ↓1 5 too low 9

Shipping Zones by Drawing for WooCommerce 500+ · 4.1★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #9 ↑5 10

Flat Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.2★ (76) wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too low 11

WowShipping – Table Rate & Weight Based Shipping 700+ · 5.0★ (25) wp.org #15 4 too low 12

Advanced Shipping Rates for WooCommerce: Flexible Table Rate Shipping Rules 2K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #19 ↓1 7 too low 13

UK Address Postcode Validation 700+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #4 9 too high 14

WC – APG Free Shipping 1K+ · 4.6★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15

Freight Shipping Quote – Simplify Shipping Cost Requests 300+ · 4.7★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16

WooCommerce Tax (formerly WooCommerce Shipping & Tax) 500K+ · 2.1★ (106) wp.org #8 ↑3 8 too high 17

ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express Shipping Method 200+ · 4.5★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓2 4 too low 18

Mojito Shipping 100+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #20 2 too low 19

Parcel2Go Shipping 200+ · 2.6★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #22 3 too low 20

Shipped – Table Rate Shipping Method | for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21

Transdirect Shipping Plugin for Woocommerce 300+ · 3.1★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓3 3 too low 22

Posti Shipping 1K+ · 3.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too high 23

bpost-shipping-platform 500+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #11 ↓3 12 too high 24

Postcode.eu Address Validation 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓3 1 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.