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

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 “ratting”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 18. 2 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

SI Rating & Review shows at wp.org #5 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its — 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

Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode places #5 on merit, 4.8★ from 129 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Which Elementor Addon 400+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 WP User Switch 1K+ · 4.1★ (9) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 ReviewX – Multi-Criteria Reviews for WooCommerce with Google Reviews & Schema 6K+ · 4.5★ (85) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 ShopEngine – All-in-One Elementor WooCommerce Builder with eCommerce Templates & Woo Widgets 100K+ · 4.6★ (212) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode 2K+ · 4.8★ (129) wp.org #13 8 too low 6 Version Switcher 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Comments Form Star Rating Plugin for WordPress 1K+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Thim Kit for Elementor – Pre-built Templates & Widgets for Elementor 20K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #8 9 Spider Elements – Premium Elementor Widgets & Addons Library 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 10 Ever Compare – Products Compare Plugin for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 SI Rating & Review — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 6 too high 12 ShopEngine Gutenberg WooCommerce Builder Blocks Addon – All in One WooCommerce Solution 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 Global Content Manager 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 E Elite Testimonials Slider Plugin For WordPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 2 too low 15 DevTo articles on WP — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 2 too low 16 Books Library 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Talash – Advanced Search Plugin — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 WP Map Builder/Styler — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 3 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.