wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “remove category”
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 “remove category”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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
No Category Parents shows at wp.org #6 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
PublishPress Taxonomies – Tag, Category, and Taxonomy Manager – Autotagger Automatically Add Terms places #12 on merit, 4.6★ from 195 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.
Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks 40K+ · 4.3★ (61)
wp.org #1 2 
Bulk remove posts from category 10K+ · 4.6★ (100)
wp.org #2 3 
List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #5 2 too low 4 
No Category Base (WPML) 100K+ · 4.5★ (34)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Smart Archive Page Remove 6K+ · 4.9★ (59)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Category Posts Block 40K+ · 4.5★ (79)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #10 3 too low 8 
Product Category Slider & Grid for WooCommerce – Reno Product Category 9K+ · 4.8★ (91) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 9 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #16 ↓3 7 too low 10 
Media Library Categories 20K+ · 4.2★ (52)
wp.org #11 1 too low 11 
Remove CPT base 10K+ · 5.0★ (33)
wp.org #13 ↑2 2 too low 12 PublishPress Taxonomies – Tag, Category, and Taxonomy Manager – Autotagger Automatically Add Terms 40K+ · 4.6★ (195)
wp.org #23 11 too low 13 
Categories Images 50K+ · 4.5★ (86)
wp.org #19 ↑1 6 too low 14 
Category Posts in Custom Menu 2K+ · 4.8★ (43)
wp.org #17 ↑1 3 too low 15 
Same Category Posts 3K+ · 4.7★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #12 3 too high 16 
Post Category Filter (WP Admin) 1K+ · 5.0★ (25)
wp.org #20 ↑2 4 too low 17 
List categories 5K+ · 4.5★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑2 2 too high 18 
Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 9 too high 19 No Category Parents 6K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #6 13 too high 20 
Simple Discount Rules for Woocommerce 4K+ · 4.6★ (73) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 
Product Category Showcase for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑2 7 too high 22 
Product Category Slider for WooCommerce 700+ · 4.0★ (20) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 
RDV Category Image 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑2 2 too high 24 
Category Description for WooCommerce 700+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↑1 6 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.