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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “prerequisite”

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 “prerequisite”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

Visa Acceptance Solutions shows at wp.org #8 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

LifterLMS – WP LMS for eLearning, Online Courses, & Quizzes places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 393 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Matomo Analytics – Powerful, Privacy-First Insights for WordPress 100K+ · 4.6★ (178) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin for Create and Sell Online Courses 70K+ · 4.3★ (597) wp.org #6 ↑3 2 too low 5 LifterLMS – WP LMS for eLearning, Online Courses, & Quizzes 10K+ · 4.8★ (393) wp.org #19 14 too low 6 WPO365 | MICROSOFT 365 GRAPH MAILER 10K+ · 5.0★ (40) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 WPO365 | SEAMLESS WORDPRESS + MICROSOFT INTEGRATION (WPO365 | LOGIN) 10K+ · 4.9★ (154) wp.org #21 ↑2 14 too low 8 User Admin Simplifier 10K+ · 5.0★ (31) wp.org #14 ↑2 6 too low 9 LearnPress – Prerequisites Courses 5K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 8 too high 10 Order Minimum/Maximum Amount Limits for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (40) wp.org #16 ↑2 6 too low 11 DHL Shipping Germany for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.0★ (47) wp.org #17 ↓2 6 too low 12 Tutor LMS Elementor Addons 30K+ · 3.5★ (8) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 TutorMate 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 9 too high 14 LearnPress – Course Wishlist 10K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #7 7 too high 15 Blacklist Manager – WooCommerce Anti-Fraud, Blacklist & Checkout Verification 2K+ · 3.6★ (14) wp.org #22 ↓9 7 too low 16 PowerPack for LearnDash 1K+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 Netcash WooCommerce Payment Gateway 300+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #24 ↓3 7 too low 18 SSLCommerz Payment Gateway 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 ↓3 9 too high 19 LearnPress – Backup & Migration Tool 5K+ · 3.0★ (16) wp.org #23 ↓1 4 too low 20 DHL eCommerce (Benelux) for WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 9 too high 21 Visa Acceptance Solutions 10K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 13 too high 22 DPD Baltic Shipping 2K+ · 2.7★ (13) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 F FameTheme Demo Importer 30K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑4 10 too high 24 S Simple Menu Order Column 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓4 6 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.