wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “posts category”
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 “posts category”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 2 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
No Category Parents shows at wp.org #14 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager places #8 on merit, 5.0★ from 1525 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #1 2 
Category Posts Block 40K+ · 4.5★ (79)
wp.org #2 3 
Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #3 4 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #4 ↑4 5 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Bulk remove posts from category 10K+ · 4.6★ (100)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Contextual Related Posts 50K+ · 4.8★ (201)
wp.org #10 ↑3 3 too low 8 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525)
wp.org #15 7 too low 9 
Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks 40K+ · 4.3★ (61)
wp.org #8 ↑3 1 too high 10 
Ultimate Category Excluder 50K+ · 4.3★ (78)
wp.org #9 ↑3 1 too high 11 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #13 ↓3 2 too low 12 
Same Category Posts 3K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↓1 7 too high 13 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #19 ↓4 6 too low 14 
Category Posts in Custom Menu 2K+ · 4.8★ (43)
wp.org #12 ↑2 2 too high 15 
Product Category Slider & Grid for WooCommerce – Reno Product Category 9K+ · 4.8★ (91) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓2 4 too high 16 
SchedulePress – Auto Post & Publish, Auto Social Share, Schedule Posts with Editorial Calendar & Missed Schedule Post Publisher 10K+ · 4.6★ (201)
wp.org #23 ↓1 7 too low 17 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #21 4 too low 18 
Inline Related Posts 100K+ · 4.3★ (77)
wp.org #17 ↑3 1 too high 19 
Post Category Filter (WP Admin) 1K+ · 5.0★ (25)
wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too high 20 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 
WP Media Category Management 6K+ · 4.7★ (35) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 3 too high 22 P Post Order By Category 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↑2 23 No Category Parents 6K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑2 9 too high 24 R Recent Category Posts Widget 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
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.