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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “result press”

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 “result press”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 4 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

Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor shows at wp.org #12 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 18 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 1125 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Press This 5K+ · 3.7★ (25) wp.org #1 2 PublishPress Permissions: Access Control, Content Permissions, User Access 10K+ · 4.3★ (66) wp.org #2 3 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Simple:Press Forum 300+ · 4.2★ (24) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125) wp.org #14 ↑5 4 too low 11 SiteGround Migrator 80K+ · 4.3★ (403) wp.org #11 ↑1 12 Product Filter for WooCommerce by WBW 50K+ · 4.8★ (325) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882) wp.org #20 7 too low 14 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #19 ↓2 5 too low 15 Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Search in Place 3K+ · 4.9★ (64) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 Bricks Navigator 8K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Like Button Rating ♥ LikeBtn 3K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #22 ↑1 4 too low 19 Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor 4K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #12 ↓1 7 too high 20 Prevent Browser Caching 10K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #23 ↓2 3 too low 21 Playlist Player for YouTube – Fast, Privacy-Friendly Playlists & Channel Feed 1K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #21 ↑3 22 UiPress lite | Effortless custom dashboards, admin themes and pages 6K+ · 4.1★ (21) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Import Shopify To WP 900+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too high 24 Crowdsignal Forms 200K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 ↑1 7 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.