wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “remove update link”

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 update link”, 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

Content Update Scheduler shows at wp.org #9 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 12 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 8706 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726) wp.org #4 2 too low 3

Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #7 4 too low 4

Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 1 too high 5

Go Live Update Urls 90K+ · 4.5★ (59) wp.org #5 6

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #12 6 too low 7

Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #2 5 too high 8

Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks 40K+ · 4.3★ (61) wp.org #8 9

Link Whisper Free 30K+ · 4.2★ (150) wp.org #10 1 too low 10

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #14 4 too low 11

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #16 5 too low 12

Broken Link Checker by AIOSEO – Find & Fix Broken Internal, External & Video Links 200K+ · 3.8★ (87) not PHP-current wp.org #6 6 too high 13

Remove Dashboard Access 30K+ · 4.6★ (78) wp.org #11 2 too high 14

ThirstyAffiliates – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin 30K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #18 4 too low 15

Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #15 16 P Page Links To 100K+ · 4.9★ (157) wp.org #22 6 too low 17

Link Juice Keeper 10K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #13 4 too high 18

Content Update Scheduler 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #9 9 too high 19

Broken Link Notifier 1K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #17 2 too high 20

SMNTCS Custom Logo Link 2K+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #23 3 too low 21

Link Checker 4K+ · 3.2★ (30) wp.org #19 2 too high 22

WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources 3K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #21 1 too high 23

Remove XML-RPC Methods 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #20 3 too high 24

Extend Link 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #24

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.