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

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 “sanitize”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 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

PRyC WP: Sanitize file name (when upload) shows at wp.org #12 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Safe SVG 1M+ · 4.9★ (79) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 BEA – Sanitize Filename 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 WP SVG Images 30K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #3 4 Rename Media Files: Improve Your SEO 9K+ · 4.8★ (40) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Clean Image Filenames 30K+ · 4.6★ (21) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Easy SVG Support 40K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 URL Params 8K+ · 5.0★ (37) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 SVG Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 S Smart Custom Fields 50K+ · 4.9★ (20) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Spectra Blocks – AI Website Builder for the Block Editor 40K+ · 4.6★ (38) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 WP EXtra – One Click Optimize 6K+ · 4.9★ (41) wp.org #18 7 too low 12 WPMasterToolKit (WPMTK) – All in one plugin 5K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 C Clean Filenames 3K+ · 4.6★ (8) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Admin Tweaks 900+ · 4.7★ (33) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 S Send From 500+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #20 5 too low 16 Better image sizes 2K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 AL Pack 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 PixelVault – Media Library Folders, Document Library & File Manager 200+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 JetStyleManager for Gutenberg 10K+ · 2.6★ (9) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 PRyC WP: Sanitize file name (when upload) 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Jooosi Icon – Modern SVG icon library for WordPress 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 7 too high 22 L LS Sanitize Greek Filename 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 BeepMate – Forms to your messaging app 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Wispra Pixel 20+ · 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.