Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “recommended items”

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 “recommended items”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 3 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

VK Blocks shows at wp.org #5 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 100K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 1720 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #1 2 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #2 3 Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #3 4 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #13 5 too low 9 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Redirection 2M+ · 4.4★ (703) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 W WP Photo Album Plus 10K+ · 4.7★ (199) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Advanced Dynamic Pricing and Discount Rules for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 Create 6K+ · 4.3★ (25) wp.org #7 6 too high 14 SEO SIMPLE PACK 100K+ · 4.6★ (14) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 Reviews and Rating – Google Reviews 20K+ · 4.9★ (184) wp.org #16 17 VK Blocks 100K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #5 12 too high 18 WebToffee WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Packing Slips, Delivery Notes & Shipping Labels 50K+ · 4.9★ (285) wp.org #18 19 Art WooCommerce Order One Click 4K+ · 5.0★ (36) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 Wishlist for WooCommerce: Multiple Wishlists per Customer 2K+ · 4.9★ (53) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 WPC AJAX Add to Cart for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.4★ (18) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Media Library File Size 6K+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 WPZOOM Portfolio Lite – Filterable Portfolio Plugin 20K+ · 5.0★ (2) 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.