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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “press release example”

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 “press release example”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

BanglaPress – bKash, & Mobile Payment with Order Tracking & Invoice & Shipping Label Printing for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection places #11 on merit, 4.6★ from 213 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP-ShowHide 9K+ · 4.2★ (43) wp.org #1 2 Table Field Add-on for ACF and SCF 50K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #10 ↑2 5 too low 6 Index WP MySQL For Speed 50K+ · 4.8★ (99) wp.org #6 ↑4 7 Nooz 500+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #3 ↑1 4 too high 8 CMS Tree Page View – Reorder Pages with a Drag-and-Drop Tree 50K+ · 4.9★ (365) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too low 9 SiteGround Migrator 80K+ · 4.3★ (403) wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too low 10 WP Console – WordPress PHP Console powered by PsySH 20K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 WPBruiser Security – No CAPTCHA Anti-Spam & Login Protection 10K+ · 4.6★ (213) wp.org #21 ↑2 10 too low 12 C Clear Cache for Me 40K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #12 ↑1 13 GamiPress – Gamification plugin to reward points, badges & ranks in WordPress, now with AI 10K+ · 4.9★ (493) wp.org #17 ↑2 4 too low 14 Advanced Dynamic Pricing and Discount Rules for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #23 ↓5 9 too low 15 Podcast Importer SecondLine 4K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 MPL-Publisher — Ebook & Audiobook Creator 700+ · 4.9★ (46) wp.org #18 ↑2 2 too low 17 RPS Include Content 700+ · 4.9★ (18) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too high 18 Copy Anything to Clipboard for WordPress – Copy Button, Copy Text & Copy Code 10K+ · 4.5★ (36) wp.org #20 ↑2 2 too low 19 Press Release Template 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 ↑1 17 too high 20 Code Embed 10K+ · 4.4★ (45) wp.org #14 ↑1 6 too high 21 Playlist Player for YouTube – Fast, Privacy-Friendly Playlists & Channel Feed 1K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #19 ↑2 2 too high 22 Same Category Posts 3K+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #22 ↑2 23 BanglaPress – bKash, & Mobile Payment with Order Tracking & Invoice & Shipping Label Printing for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #5 ↑1 18 too high 24 WP User Merger 300+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #24

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.