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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “referral software”

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 “referral software”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Affiliatly shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 300+ 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

JetFormBuilder — Dynamic Blocks Form Builder places #11 on merit, 4.2★ from 72 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 ReferralCandy for WooCommerce – Advanced Referral & Affiliate Program 300+ · 4.9★ (211) wp.org #1 2 LiveChat – Live Chat Plugin for WP Websites 10K+ · 4.6★ (98) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin – Tour Operator Software 20K+ · 4.9★ (594) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4358) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #10 5 too low 6 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 MyRewards 2K+ · 4.7★ (58) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 Customer Referral Program | Refer a Friend Software 70+ · 4.3★ (24) wp.org #8 ↓1 9 Remote Website Management by Watchful 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Memberful – Membership Plugin 1K+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 JetFormBuilder — Dynamic Blocks Form Builder 80K+ · 4.2★ (72) wp.org #23 ↓2 12 too low 12 Back In Stock Notifier for WooCommerce | WooCommerce Waitlist Pro 20K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #22 ↑2 10 too low 13 Broken Link Checker by AIOSEO – Find & Fix Broken Internal, External & Video Links 200K+ · 3.8★ (87) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too low 14 Feeds for TikTok (TikTok feed, video, and gallery plugin) 70K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 StoreEngine — Complete eCommerce Solution with Memberships, Licensing, Affiliates & More 700+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #17 2 too low 16 RewardsWP – Loyalty Points & Referral Program for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 12 too high 17 Milo Subscriptions – Subscriptions for WooCommerce and Recurring Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #16 ↑2 1 too high 18 Nelio Popups 400+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too high 19 Active Woot Products Tables for WooCommerce. 100% FREE 1K+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too low 20 LeadDyno WordPress Plugin 100+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #20 ↓4 21 Post Affiliate Pro 400+ · 4.6★ (23) wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 Email Marketing Plugin – WP Email Capture 1K+ · 4.3★ (19) wp.org #19 3 too high 23 Tapfiliate 400+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #15 ↓1 8 too high 24 Affiliatly 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 13 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.