wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “rounded”
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 “rounded”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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
WPC Free Shipping Bar for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #17 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.2★ average from 13 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Custom Login Page Customizer places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 476 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #2 3 
Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) not PHP-current
wp.org #3 ↑3 4 
Price Based on Country for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.8★ (262) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 5 
Twentig Supercharged Block Editor – Blocks, Patterns, Starter Sites, Portfolio 20K+ · 4.9★ (171)
wp.org #7 ↓4 2 too low 6 
Photo Gallery by Supsystic – Image Gallery, Masonry, Albums & Lightbox 20K+ · 4.6★ (498)
wp.org #9 3 too low 7 
Smooth Back To Top Button 40K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #5 2 too high 8 
Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (55)
wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too high 9 
Team – Team Members Showcase Plugin 10K+ · 4.5★ (67)
wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Custom Login Page Customizer 50K+ · 4.9★ (476)
wp.org #16 6 too low 11 
Variation Swatches for WooCommerce – Color, Image & Size Swatches 200K+ · 4.6★ (51)
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
Testimonial – Testimonial Slider and Showcase Plugin 20K+ · 4.6★ (67)
wp.org #12 ↑11 13 
WP Image Zoom 10K+ · 4.3★ (119)
wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too low 14 
Float menu – awesome floating side menu 30K+ · 4.4★ (41)
wp.org #11 ↓2 3 too high 15 
WP Video Lightbox 30K+ · 4.3★ (67)
wp.org #13 ↓2 2 too high 16 
WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144)
wp.org #23 ↓6 7 too low 17 
Reading Position Indicator 800+ · 5.0★ (66)
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too low 18 
QuadLayers Telegram Button 1K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓2 4 too high 19 
CoolClock 1K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 2 too low 20 
Fuse Social Icons 10K+ · 4.6★ (58) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 
Social Sharing Plugin – Kiwi 4K+ · 4.1★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 WPC Free Shipping Bar for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.2★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓3 5 too high 23 
Before After Image 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓3 5 too high 24 
Marquee Running Text 5K+ · 4.6★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #22 2 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.