wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “produce”
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 “produce”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
WP Forms Signature Contract Add-On shows at wp.org #9 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress places #10 on merit, 4.6★ from 504 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346)
wp.org #2 3 
bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343)
wp.org #3 4 
Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187)
wp.org #4 ↑2 5 
Formidable Forms – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Payment, Calculator Form & Custom Form Builder 300K+ · 4.8★ (1387)
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 
External Links in New Window / New Tab 30K+ · 4.5★ (77)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 
Page scroll to id 100K+ · 4.9★ (225) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 
Website Builder by SeedProd — Theme Builder, Landing Page Builder, Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode 600K+ · 4.9★ (4699)
wp.org #16 8 too low 9 
WP-Polls 40K+ · 4.2★ (136)
wp.org #13 ↑2 4 too low 10 Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504)
wp.org #20 ↑1 10 too low 11 
Shortcode Redirect 10K+ · 4.3★ (31)
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
EU VAT Assistant for WooCommerce 5K+ · 5.0★ (37)
wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too low 13 M Mammoth .docx converter 20K+ · 4.8★ (62)
wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too low 14 
URL Params 8K+ · 5.0★ (37)
wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15 
Donation Thermometer 2K+ · 4.4★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #7 8 too high 16 
Iptanus File Upload 10K+ · 4.4★ (117)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
WP-UserOnline 10K+ · 4.6★ (38)
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
E2Pdf – Export Pdf Tool for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (59) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
Gelato Integration for WooCommerce 5K+ · 3.3★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #11 8 too high 20 WP Forms Signature Contract Add-On 800+ · 4.4★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #9 11 too high 21 
Ninja Forms Signature Contract Add-On 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #12 9 too high 22 
Sitelinks Search Box 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 too low 23 
Electronic Signature Add-on for Fluent Forms 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #17 6 too high 24 
Koala AI 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 3 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.