wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “role manager”
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 “role manager”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
User Role by BestWebSoft – Add and Customize Roles and Capabilities in WordPress shows at wp.org #13 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.6★ average from 12 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #1 2 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #2 3 
File Manager 1M+ · 4.6★ (1492)
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 
Download Manager 100K+ · 4.1★ (1006)
wp.org #5 ↑1 6 
Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution 100K+ · 4.8★ (441)
wp.org #6 ↓3 7 
Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463) not PHP-current
wp.org #8 1 too low 8 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #7 1 too high 9 
Checkout Field Manager (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.5★ (784)
wp.org #12 ↓4 3 too low 10 
Permalink Manager Lite 100K+ · 4.8★ (176)
wp.org #10 ↓1 11 
WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249)
wp.org #9 ↑2 2 too high 12 
WPFront User Role Editor 30K+ · 4.5★ (65)
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #20 ↑1 7 too low 14 
File Manager Pro – Filester 100K+ · 4.9★ (155)
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
File Manager 10K+ · 4.3★ (202)
wp.org #16 ↑2 1 too low 16 
WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 
FluentSnippets – High-Performance Code Snippets, Header & Footer Code, Custom CSS & PHP Code Manager 50K+ · 4.7★ (78)
wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too high 18 
User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112)
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58)
wp.org #19 ↓2 20 
Affiliates Manager 8K+ · 4.1★ (61)
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too low 21 
Admin Notices Manager 10K+ · 4.9★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 
Lightweight Sidebar Manager 80K+ · 4.2★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too high 23 User Role by BestWebSoft – Add and Customize Roles and Capabilities in WordPress 3K+ · 3.6★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 10 too high 24 
Block Manager 4K+ · 4.9★ (13) 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.