wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “published date”
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 “published date”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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
DateSweep – Bulk Update Post & Page Dates shows at wp.org #6 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 50+ 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
WP Last Modified Info places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 856 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #1 2 
Export All URLs 50K+ · 4.6★ (94)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #4 ↓2 1 too low 4 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520)
wp.org #10 ↓2 6 too low 5 WP Last Modified Info 40K+ · 4.9★ (856)
wp.org #13 ↓1 8 too low 6 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #7 ↑13 1 too low 7 
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1526)
wp.org #15 ↑1 8 too low 8 
Hide/Remove Metadata 20K+ · 3.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #3 5 too high 9 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8709)
wp.org #17 ↓2 8 too low 10 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too low 11 
Video Gallery – YouTube Playlist, Channel Gallery by YotuWP 10K+ · 4.7★ (322)
wp.org #16 ↑1 5 too low 12 
Post Date Randomizer 8K+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #5 7 too high 13 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55)
wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #20 ↑1 6 too low 15 
Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158)
wp.org #22 ↑1 7 too low 16 
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71)
wp.org #21 ↓2 5 too low 17 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #18 1 too low 18 
Change Last Modified Date 3K+ · 4.3★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓2 9 too high 19 
Dynamic Month & Year into Posts 8K+ · 5.0★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #23 4 too low 20 P Post Order By Category 900+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 
Post Updated Date 500+ · 3.7★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 DateSweep – Bulk Update Post & Page Dates 50+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #6 16 too high 23 
DX Out of Date 70+ · 4.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓2 12 too high 24 
Lock Last Modified Date 80+ · 4.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑2 16 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.