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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “returns”

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 “returns”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 of the top 20. 8 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

Order Cancellation & Returns for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 300+ 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

Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings places #4 on merit, 4.8★ from 7519 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.7★ (124) wp.org #1 2 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #6 4 too low 3 Germanized for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (496) wp.org #9 ↓2 6 too low 4 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #18 ↓1 14 too low 5 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588) wp.org #17 ↓2 12 too low 6 Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215) wp.org #16 ↑3 10 too low 7 Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302) wp.org #13 ↓4 6 too low 8 BuddyPilot Withdrawal – Easy Returns for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 Yoast Duplicate Post 3M+ · 4.7★ (538) wp.org #11 ↑1 2 too low 10 WP-PageNavi 400K+ · 4.7★ (149) wp.org #20 ↓10 10 too low 11 WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237) wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too high 12 Withdrawal Button – Easy Return 400+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #8 ↑3 4 too high 13 Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ · 4.8★ (71) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 Flexible Refund for WooCommerce – EU One Click Return 2K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #3 11 too high 15 Sendcloud for WooCommerce: Automated Shipping, Branded Tracking & Returns 7K+ · 3.0★ (13) wp.org #4 11 too high 16 SpeedyCache – Cache, Optimization, Performance 500K+ · 4.4★ (30) wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 WordPress Importer 2M+ · 3.1★ (327) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 WPSSO Schema Merchant Return Policy Manager 200+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #14 ↑3 4 too high 19 ClaimPress – Advanced Warranty, Return, Refund & Exchange for WooCommerce 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↑3 9 too high 20 GoSMTP – SMTP for WordPress 500K+ · 4.3★ (10) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Order Cancellation & Returns for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 16 too high 22 R Return shortlink button 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↑2 10 too high 23 Returns, Exchanges & Refunds for WooCommerce – Recoup 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↑2 4 too high 24 Smart Refunds & Returns for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 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.