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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “rtl support”

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 “rtl support”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 5 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

RTL Localization & Fonts shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP ULike – Like Buttons, Voting & Engagement Analytics places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 283 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Fluent Support – Helpdesk & Customer Support Ticket System 10K+ · 4.6★ (69) wp.org #2 ↓1 1 too low 2 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too low 4 Polylang 900K+ · 4.7★ (3004) wp.org #10 ↑2 6 too low 5 پارسی دیت – Parsi Date 100K+ · 4.6★ (130) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Better RTL Support 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 5 too high 7 WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #14 ↑1 7 too low 8 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 mPDF add-on for RTL and Unicode Support 4K+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #4 ↓2 5 too high 10 WP ULike – Like Buttons, Voting & Engagement Analytics 60K+ · 4.8★ (283) wp.org #22 ↓9 12 too low 11 Majestic Support – The Leading-Edge Help Desk & Customer Support Plugin 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 too high 12 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 300K+ · 4.8★ (926) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 Like Button Rating ♥ LikeBtn 3K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 Agile Store Locator 10K+ · 4.9★ (59) wp.org #20 ↓3 6 too low 15 WPBot – AI ChatBot for Live Support, Lead Generation, WordPress Automation, AI Services 5K+ · 4.7★ (124) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 WPC Smart Quick View for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #13 ↑10 3 too high 17 Simple Author Box 90K+ · 4.3★ (115) wp.org #17 ↑2 18 Product Video Gallery for Woocommerce 10K+ · 4.6★ (97) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 TP Product Image Flipper for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20 WP Click to Chat – Email, Live Chat, Call & Book Now Buttons 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #16 4 too high 21 Splide Carousel Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #24 ↓6 3 too low 22 Smart RTL Post 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓1 11 too high 23 RTL Localization & Fonts 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↓2 15 too high 24 WPChat – Live Chat & Messaging Widget for Customer Support 6K+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #9 15 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.