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← Rankings

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

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 “random”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 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.

M

Ranked above its merit

MCM Random Baby Name Generator shows at wp.org #10 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 60+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 4358 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Hot Random Image 2K+ · 4.9★ (9) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Random Content 3K+ · 4.8★ (35) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143) wp.org #8 5 too low 4 Random Banner 1K+ · 4.6★ (52) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Redirection 100K+ · 5.0★ (419) wp.org #16 ↑6 11 too low 6 Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4358) wp.org #18 ↓5 12 too low 7 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 Really Simple CAPTCHA 300K+ · 4.2★ (131) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 Random Posts and Pages Widget 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #3 6 too high 10 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1915) wp.org #21 ↓2 11 too low 11 FakerPress 10K+ · 4.9★ (205) wp.org #22 ↓2 11 too low 12 Drag and Drop Multiple File Upload for Contact Form 7 60K+ · 4.8★ (94) wp.org #23 ↓2 11 too low 13 All 404 Redirect to Homepage 200K+ · 4.1★ (96) wp.org #19 ↓2 6 too low 14 A Random Number 700+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #4 10 too high 15 Click to Chat – HoliThemes 600K+ · 4.8★ (131) wp.org #24 ↓1 9 too low 16 DFX Random User IDs 200+ · 4.0★ (5) wp.org #6 10 too high 17 Random Post Plugin – Redirect URL to Post 3K+ · 5.0★ (20) wp.org #20 ↓2 3 too low 18 WP Random Post Thumbnails 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #14 ↓2 4 too high 19 XV Random Quotes 300+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #7 12 too high 20 Generate Random Orders For WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 11 too high 21 Random Post on Refresh 500+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 Better Random Redirect 600+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #15 ↓1 7 too high 23 Random Image Block for Block Editor 100+ · 3.8★ (4) wp.org #11 ↑4 12 too high 24 M MCM Random Baby Name Generator 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 14 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.