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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “referrer input”

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 “referrer input”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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

CQI Referrer Attribution shows at wp.org #10 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Customer Engagement System – Popup Builder, Forms, CRM & Email Marketing Automation places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 340 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) wp.org #1 2 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #2 3 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #3 4 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #4 5 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #5 6 Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Popup Maker – Boost Sales, Conversions, Optins, Subscribers with the Ultimate WP Popup Builder 600K+ · 4.9★ (4514) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 Depicter — Popup & Slider Builder 70K+ · 4.6★ (235) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Statify 100K+ · 4.8★ (51) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 DTX – Dynamic Text Extension for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.7★ (99) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 HandL UTM Grabber / Tracker 10K+ · 4.8★ (146) wp.org #18 7 too low 12 Customer Engagement System – Popup Builder, Forms, CRM & Email Marketing Automation 9K+ · 4.5★ (340) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 If-So Dynamic Content – Elementor & All Page Builders Personalization 7K+ · 4.7★ (92) wp.org #22 9 too low 14 Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #17 3 too low 15 Lenix Leads Collector 10K+ · 4.4★ (25) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Custom 404 Pro 7K+ · 4.2★ (22) wp.org #16 17 YITH WooCommerce Affiliates 6K+ · 4.2★ (19) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Booter – Bots & Crawlers Manager 7K+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #15 3 too high 19 WP Bannerize Pro 800+ · 4.9★ (10) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 GD Security Headers 1K+ · 4.0★ (8) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 EchoRewards – Refer a Friend Rewards Program for WooCommerce 300+ · 3.9★ (8) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 WPZOOM Forms – Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder for WordPress 10K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 11 too high 23 HTTP Security Header 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 CQI Referrer Attribution 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 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.