wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “queries”
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 “queries”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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
Contact Form Query shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 1K+ 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.
Advanced Queries 10K+ · 4.9★ (40)
wp.org #1 2 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
Query Monitor 200K+ · 4.9★ (470)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #6 ↑2 2 too low 5 
BBQ Firewall – Fast & Powerful Firewall Security 100K+ · 4.9★ (160)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too low 7 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #9 ↓2 2 too low 8 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 
Advanced Query Loop 6K+ · 4.6★ (30)
wp.org #5 4 too high 10 
Redirection 2M+ · 4.4★ (703)
wp.org #10 11 
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #11 12 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #14 ↑10 2 too low 13 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #13 ↑5 14 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #21 ↑1 7 too low 15 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #22 7 too low 16 
GenerateBlocks 200K+ · 4.9★ (122)
wp.org #16 ↑1 17 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #24 ↓3 7 too low 18 
Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #20 2 too low 19 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #23 ↓4 4 too low 20 
Custom Query Blocks 700+ · 4.6★ (25) not PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↓3 1 too high 21 
WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓3 4 too high 22 
Query Loop Post Selector 600+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓3 4 too high 23 
Query Loop Load More 900+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓2 8 too high 24 Contact Form Query 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #12 12 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.