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

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 “reception”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 8 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 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

Receive Notifications After Form Submitting – Form Notify for Any Forms shows at wp.org #15 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 40+ 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

WPVR – 360 Panorama viewer and Virtual Tour Builder for WordPress places #2 on merit, 4.7★ from 133 reviews, but shows at wp.org #6. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Booking Package 10K+ · 4.0★ (15) wp.org #1 ↑2 2 WPVR – 360 Panorama viewer and Virtual Tour Builder for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (133) wp.org #6 4 too low 3 Sunshine Photo Cart – Client Photo Gallery & Photo Proofing for Photographers 1K+ · 4.7★ (138) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too low 4 Up2pay e-Transactions WooCommerce Payment Gateway 4K+ · 2.3★ (13) wp.org #2 ↓1 2 too high 5 PayPlug for WooCommerce (Official) 4K+ · 3.3★ (7) wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too high 6 Gym Builder – Class Timetable & Booking for Gyms, Fitness & Yoga Studios 100+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Secure Encrypted Form 50+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too low 8 Emmeo Booking Reception — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↑1 4 too high 9 miniOrange Embed Outlook Teams Calendar Events 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↑2 4 too high 10 Alsendo Connect 600+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11 Hotel Guest Guide – Hotelness 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑7 1 too high 12 TeamNotify for Amelia 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too low 13 AI Receptionist: Chat & Booking | Owlixi — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 3 too low 14 WPC Checkout Restrictions for WooCommerce 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑2 3 too high 15 Syntranova Virtual Receptionist – Call & Chat Buttons — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑2 2 too low 16 Sofinco 3XCB 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too high 17 WEB Naisen — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too low 18 Centre One Community — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑1 3 too low 19 Probono Booking Basic — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↑1 3 too low 20 Ototsugu Connector — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↑1 3 too low 21 WPTelMessage 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 OBERON – WP Add-in 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 OBERON – Hotel reservation 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too high 24 Receive Notifications After Form Submitting – Form Notify for Any Forms 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 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.