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

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

Catch Themes Demo Import shows at wp.org #10 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 5K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Mail Logging places #7 on merit, 4.7★ from 375 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #1 2 WP Fail2Ban Redux 7K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Disable and Remove Google Fonts | GDPR & DSGVO friendly 100K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP Datepicker 6K+ · 4.8★ (37) wp.org #5 ↑7 1 too low 5 E External Permalinks Redux 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 WP Header Images 4K+ · 4.4★ (35) wp.org #6 ↑7 7 WP Mail Logging 300K+ · 4.7★ (375) wp.org #22 ↓2 15 too low 8 WP SpeedUp 200+ · 4.1★ (9) wp.org #8 ↑6 9 MeetingHub – Appointment Booking & Meeting Scheduling for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Jitsi 400+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Easy Demo Importer – A Modern One-Click Demo Import Solution 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓3 1 too low 11 PLU Redux 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↓2 4 too high 12 Rich Text Formats 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↓3 13 Crafthemes Demo Import 400+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #9 ↓3 4 too high 14 BZOTech Theme Core 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓1 3 too low 15 Cron Tasks Viewer 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓3 1 too high 16 VillaTheme Core 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 17 Lenxel AI LMS – Course Lesson Generator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too low 18 Pixelgrade Assistant 2K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓3 5 too high 19 SimplyConf 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 Rewind Review Sync for Google Maps and Elementor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 GoDevs Blocks 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 2 too low 22 Tailwatch – Security, Backups, Monitoring & Management 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓2 2 too low 23 DirectoryPress – Business Directory And Classified Ad Listing 600+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Catch Themes Demo Import 5K+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↓3 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.