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

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 “programme”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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

SMTP for Contact Form 7 shows at wp.org #8 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner 1K+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #1 2 LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin for Create and Sell Online Courses 70K+ · 4.3★ (597) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Email Marketing Plugin – WP Email Capture 1K+ · 4.3★ (19) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 WP eBay Product Feeds 700+ · 4.7★ (17) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 GetResponse Official 4K+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Booking.com Official Search Box 2K+ · 2.4★ (8) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 PitchPrint 300+ · 3.7★ (30) wp.org #22 ↓1 15 too low 8 ReviewPine: Google Reviews Widget, Slider and Badge 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Enfants IMG Performer 40+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #13 ↑3 4 too low 10 EduAdmin Booking 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 Awin – Advertiser Tracking for WooCommerce 1K+ · 3.0★ (3) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 AI-O Optimiser 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 Widget Programme TV ce soir 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too low 14 Dropdown Search Option for Contact Form 7 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 3 too low 15 Event Bridge for ActivityPub 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Revisual – Event Communication for Google Calendar & Outlook 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too high 17 Postalion – Newsletter, Email Marketing & Automation 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↓3 2 too high 18 Polls For ActivityPub 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 3 too low 19 F Fair Timetable 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 4 too low 20 SMTP for Contact Form 7 1K+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #8 12 too high 21 Formdev 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 3 too low 22 Doozly Affiliate Box for Amazon 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Fidélité et parrainage 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 SardexPay for WooCommerce 30+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #18 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.