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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “responsive check”

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 “responsive check”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Responsive Testing: simulate different devices shows at wp.org #10 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 100+ 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

Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking System – Bookly places #10 on merit, 4.4★ from 586 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Responsive Lightbox & Gallery 100K+ · 4.9★ (2003) wp.org #1 2 Ultimate Responsive Image Slider 30K+ · 4.5★ (248) wp.org #2 ↑4 3 Responsive Menu – Mobile Menu & Hamburger Menu Builder 70K+ · 4.5★ (574) wp.org #3 4 Responsive Gallery Grid 4K+ · 4.7★ (66) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 Plugin Check (PCP) 10K+ · 4.5★ (36) wp.org #4 ↓2 1 too high 6 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #14 7 too low 8 Make Tables Responsive 6K+ · 5.0★ (34) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too high 9 WP24 Domain Check 4K+ · 4.3★ (32) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking System – Bookly 60K+ · 4.4★ (586) wp.org #19 9 too low 11 Responsive Mortgage Calculator 7K+ · 4.4★ (21) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 WP Mobile Menu – The Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menu 70K+ · 4.7★ (256) wp.org #20 8 too low 13 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 Responsive Pricing Table 10K+ · 4.6★ (91) wp.org #17 3 too low 15 Tabby Responsive Tabs 10K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 Master Slider – Responsive Touch Slider 60K+ · 4.6★ (504) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 Responsive Starter Templates – Elementor Templates & Starter Sites 10K+ · 4.5★ (39) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 Responsive Slideshow – Photo Carousel 2K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 Responsive Slider Gallery – Responsive Image Photo Slider 2K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Responsive Blocks – Page Builder for Blocks & Patterns 3K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Disable Responsive Images Complete 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Responsive Addons for Elementor – Free Elementor Addons, Kits and Elementor Templates 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #16 7 too high 24 Responsive Testing: simulate different devices 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 14 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.