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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “remove text formating”

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 text formating”, 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

Mediapapa – Your WordPress Media Library Manager & Copilot shows at wp.org #2 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 50+ 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

ERP: Complete HR, Accounting & CRM Suite Built for WooCommerce places #5 on merit, 4.4★ from 149 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin by NiteoThemes 200K+ · 4.7★ (326) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 MyRewards 2K+ · 4.7★ (58) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 Mooberry Book Manager 1K+ · 4.6★ (46) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4 M Chart 3K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too low 5 ERP: Complete HR, Accounting & CRM Suite Built for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.4★ (149) wp.org #11 ↑3 6 too low 6 WP Directory Kit 2K+ · 4.9★ (35) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 Foliopress WYSIWYG 200+ · 4.0★ (8) wp.org #4 ↑1 3 too high 8 A Action Scheduler 20K+ · 3.5★ (13) wp.org #8 ↑1 9 Qwizcards | online quizzes and flashcards 100+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too low 10 Mediapapa – Your WordPress Media Library Manager & Copilot 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 ↑1 8 too high 11 W Widgetize Pages Light 2K+ · 4.2★ (32) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 Quick Contact Form 1K+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #14 ↑1 2 too low 13 E EWZ-Rating 50+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #15 ↑1 2 too low 14 Super Product Filter for WooCommerce 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↑1 8 too high 15 Hotel Booking for WooCommerce 100+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too low 16 Instant Conversion Analytics 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑1 6 too high 17 LayUp payment gateway plugin for woocommerce 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too high 18 Mon Laboratoire 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too high 19 Simple clean content 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑2 1 too high 20 E Euro 2012 Predictor 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑1

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.