wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “remove metadata”
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 metadata”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20.
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
Strip Image Metadata shows at wp.org #6 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 18 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
Admin Columns places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 1652 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.
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
Hide/Remove Metadata 20K+ · 3.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
JSM Show Post Metadata 10K+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
SEOPress – AI SEO Plugin & On-site SEO 300K+ · 4.8★ (1267)
wp.org #10 5 too low 6 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #13 ↑1 6 too low 8 
Image Watermark 40K+ · 4.2★ (298)
wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Admin Columns 100K+ · 4.9★ (1652)
wp.org #23 14 too low 10 
Polylang 900K+ · 4.7★ (3004)
wp.org #19 9 too low 11 
Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202)
wp.org #18 7 too low 12 
Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302)
wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too low 13 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #21 8 too low 14 
SOOZ – AI for SEO – Bulk Generate Focus Keyphrases, Metadata, Alt Text (SEO Autopilot) 2K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #9 5 too high 15 
Post Duplicator 200K+ · 4.8★ (80)
wp.org #24 9 too low 16 
Media Hygiene: Remove or Delete Unused Images and More! 4K+ · 4.2★ (41)
wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 
LWS Cleaner 20K+ · 4.8★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too high 18 
WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 2 too low 19 W WP Meta and Date Remover 80K+ · 4.2★ (71)
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 
Enable Abilities for MCP 5K+ · 5.0★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓4 3 too high 21 
JSM Show User Metadata 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #5 16 too high 22 
JSM Show Order Metadata for WooCommerce HPOS 700+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 14 too high 23 
ShieldClimb – Remove Hentry and Hatom 60+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #12 11 too high 24 Strip Image Metadata 300+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #6 18 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.