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← Rankings

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

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 “readonly”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

FormFacade – Embed Google Forms in your website shows at wp.org #4 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 220 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Datepicker 6K+ · 4.8★ (37) wp.org #1 ↑7 2 Sky Login Redirect 2K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Utimate Kit ( Styler ) for WPForms 20K+ · 4.8★ (114) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too low 4 DTX – Dynamic Text Extension for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.7★ (99) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 Comments – GraphComment | AI-Moderated Comment System 400+ · 4.7★ (30) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 Cost of Goods: Product Cost & Profit Calculator for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (41) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Advanced Datepicker – Restrict Date for Elementor Forms 900+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 too high 8 PushEngage – Web Push Notifications, WooCommerce Automation & Chat Widget 8K+ · 4.3★ (37) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220) wp.org #23 14 too low 10 Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453) wp.org #21 ↑1 11 too low 11 FormFacade – Embed Google Forms in your website 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #4 ↓1 7 too high 12 Genesis Simple Sidebars 10K+ · 4.4★ (27) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 Read Only Fields for Gravity Forms 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓2 5 too high 14 IPA – Indian Pincode Autofill 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Init Void Shield – Zero-DB, Honeypot, Anti-Spam 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 AcrossAI MCP Manager – WordPress MCP Server & Admin for MCP Adapter, Claude & ChatGPT 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 AcrossAI Abilities Manager – WordPress Abilities for Claude, ChatGPT & Any AI Agent 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 2 too high 18 Product Price Enquiry & Quote Request Contact Form for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 Controller Fields for Contact Form 7 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 6 too high 20 Webshop NL Connect — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 3 too high 21 N NetShield – Request Blocker — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Bina – AI Form Builder for Contact Form 7 with Drag & Drop, Entries & Styling — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too high 23 Cookie Consent Snigirev — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24 Booster for WPForms 700+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #19 5 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.