Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “process timeline”

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 “process timeline”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 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

WBD Timeline Block For Gutenberg shows at wp.org #8 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 30+ 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

Smart Slider 3 places #7 on merit, 4.9★ from 1125 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Timeline Widget For Elementor (Elementor Timeline, Vertical & Horizontal Timeline) 70K+ · 4.8★ (248) wp.org #1 2 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #2 3 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #9 6 too low 4 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #10 ↑3 6 too low 5 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #11 6 too low 6 Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Smart Slider 3 800K+ · 4.9★ (1125) wp.org #18 11 too low 8 Custom Twitter Feeds – A Tweets Widget or X Feed Widget 100K+ · 4.8★ (401) wp.org #19 11 too low 9 Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too low 10 Qi Addons For Elementor 200K+ · 4.8★ (205) wp.org #17 7 too low 11 Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 Advanced Timeline Block 500+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) wp.org #16 3 too low 14 Timeline Module for Divi 3K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #5 9 too high 15 RegistrationMagic – Custom Registration Forms, User Registration, Payment, and User Login 7K+ · 4.5★ (459) wp.org #23 8 too low 16 Timeline Module for Beaver Builder 2K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 Getwid – Gutenberg Blocks 50K+ · 4.7★ (115) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 HT Mega Addons for Elementor – Elementor Widgets & Template Builder 60K+ · 4.1★ (66) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 WooPayments: Integrated WooCommerce Payments 800K+ · 3.4★ (177) wp.org #13 ↑2 6 too high 20 Simple Like Page – Fast & Privacy-Friendly Page Embeds 10K+ · 4.3★ (24) wp.org #20 21 Easy Feeds for X/Twitter – keep your site fresh with live social posts 1K+ · 3.9★ (11) wp.org #24 ↓1 3 too low 22 WBD Timeline Block For Gutenberg 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 14 too high 23 TechnologyWisdom Process Flow Timeline for Elementor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Ultimate Timeline – Responsive History Timeline 50+ · 0.0★ (0) 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.