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

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 “sal”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 17. 2 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

At A Glance Widget Plus shows at wp.org #8 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 10+ 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

Scriptless Social Sharing places #2 on merit, 5.0★ from 70 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Stop Emails 5K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #1 2 Scriptless Social Sharing 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #11 9 too low 3 Modify Comment Parent 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Slider Hero with Video Background, Animation 3K+ · 4.8★ (34) wp.org #13 ↓1 9 too low 5 Block X-ray Attributes 30+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 6 Visual Hook Guide for Kadence 400+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 ANPC Display 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 Require Auth Users REST Endpoint 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Conformitate România for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too high 10 R RomCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↑1 3 too high 11 U Uptime Robot 40+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 Tendr – AI Chatbot, Shopping Assistant & Lead Capture — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 At A Glance Widget Plus 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 ↓2 5 too high 14 Georgica Compliance & Accessibility Check — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Sales UP for WooCommerce – Boost Your sales with Cross Sells 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too high 16 Moveahead Media AMP Slider 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 17 Smart Affiliate Link Manager — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↓1 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.