wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “remove query string”
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 query string”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
Text Replace – Find and Replace WordPress Strings 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 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP Performance Score Booster – Optimize Speed, Enable Cache & Page Preload places #11 on merit, 4.6★ from 339 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #4 2 too low 3 
Remove Dashboard Access 30K+ · 4.6★ (78)
wp.org #3 4 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #1 4 too high 6 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #6 7 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708)
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 
Remove CPT base 10K+ · 5.0★ (33)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
WP-Sweep 100K+ · 4.7★ (138)
wp.org #12 2 too low 11 WP Performance Score Booster – Optimize Speed, Enable Cache & Page Preload 10K+ · 4.6★ (339)
wp.org #15 4 too low 12 
301 Redirects – Redirect Manager 300K+ · 4.7★ (578)
wp.org #16 4 too low 13 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 
Block Visibility — Conditional Visibility Control for the Block Editor 40K+ · 4.9★ (108)
wp.org #18 ↑1 4 too low 15 
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807)
wp.org #21 ↓1 6 too low 16 
Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302)
wp.org #17 1 too low 17 
URL Params 8K+ · 5.0★ (37)
wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too high 18 
Featherweight 10K+ · 4.1★ (45) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓1 10 too high 19 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 
Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 21 
Enable Abilities for MCP 5K+ · 5.0★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 
WP Debugging 10K+ · 5.0★ (21) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 
LWS Optimize – All-in-One Speed Booster & Cache Tools 20K+ · 4.6★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 24 Text Replace – Find and Replace WordPress Strings 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
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.