wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “posts filter”
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 filter”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
Posts filter multiselect shows at wp.org #15 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 100+ 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
Duplicate Post places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 1623 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154)
wp.org #1 2 
Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
YMC Filter 4K+ · 4.8★ (34)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Duplicate Post 300K+ · 4.9★ (1623)
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
Product Filter for WooCommerce by WBW 50K+ · 4.8★ (325)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
HUSKY – Products Filter for WooCommerce Professional. MCP is onboard 80K+ · 4.6★ (337) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 2 too high 7 
Blog Filter – Post Grid Filter by Category or Tag 7K+ · 4.9★ (81)
wp.org #7 8 
Portfolio Filter Gallery – Photo Gallery 20K+ · 4.8★ (348)
wp.org #11 3 too low 9 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #9 ↑1 10 
Search & Filter 40K+ · 4.5★ (175)
wp.org #10 ↓1 11 
Contextual Related Posts 50K+ · 4.8★ (201)
wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too low 12 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #16 4 too low 13 
Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #5 8 too high 14 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #13 1 too high 15 
List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #22 6 too low 17 P Posts 2 Posts 9K+ · 4.8★ (101)
wp.org #17 18 
Category Posts Block 40K+ · 4.5★ (79)
wp.org #18 19 
Inline Related Posts 100K+ · 4.3★ (77)
wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too low 20 
Filter Gallery 3K+ · 4.6★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #12 8 too high 21 
Related Posts Thumbnails 20K+ · 4.9★ (234) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 ↑1 2 too low 22 
Post Category Filter (WP Admin) 1K+ · 5.0★ (25)
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too high 23 
VK Filter Search 6K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 P Posts filter multiselect 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 9 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.