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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “qr code creator”

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 “qr code creator”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 18 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

QR Code Generator & Scanner – Dynamic QR Codes for WordPress shows at wp.org #6 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 80+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder with AI places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 375 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Eventin – Events Calendar, Tickets, Registration, Booking & WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (413) wp.org #5 ↓3 3 too low 3 PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322) wp.org #7 ↓1 4 too low 4 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #11 ↑7 7 too low 5 WPVR – 360 Panorama viewer and Virtual Tour Builder for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (133) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #12 ↓4 6 too low 7 Link in Bio Creator – Social 2K+ · 4.3★ (21) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder with AI 90K+ · 4.9★ (375) wp.org #19 ↑2 11 too low 9 SureForms – Contact Form Builder, AI Forms, Payment Form, Survey & Quiz 500K+ · 4.8★ (102) wp.org #13 ↓2 4 too low 10 ShopEngine – All-in-One Elementor WooCommerce Builder with eCommerce Templates & Woo Widgets 100K+ · 4.6★ (212) wp.org #21 ↓2 11 too low 11 QR Code Creator 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 10 too high 12 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce – Challan 7K+ · 4.6★ (47) wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too low 13 Ebook Store 700+ · 4.4★ (60) wp.org #20 ↓1 7 too low 14 LinkCentral – URL shortener, Affiliate Links & Custom Link Shortener with Link Tracking 400+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 WappPress – Convert Site to App Fast – WordPress to Mobile App Builder 1K+ · 3.6★ (39) wp.org #23 8 too low 16 Wallet Up – Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle & QR Code Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 13 too high 17 PDF for Elementor Forms + Drag And Drop Template Builder 1K+ · 3.9★ (11) wp.org #18 ↓2 1 too low 18 Edutain Certificate Validator – Certificate Verification, QR Code & Digital Credentials 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↑1 10 too high 19 WP MyLinks 1K+ · 4.0★ (14) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 QR Code Generator & Scanner – Dynamic QR Codes for WordPress 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓1 14 too high 21 Simple UPI QR Code 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓2 11 too high 22 PressPrimer Certificate – Certificate Designer & Course Certification for Your LMS 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓5 5 too high 23 Social Share Block – Help Visitors Spread Your Content Everywhere 2K+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #14 ↓1 9 too high 24 Live Copy Paste for Elementor – Cross Domain Copy Paste & Page Duplicator 6K+ · 4.3★ (3) 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.