wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “scrap”
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 “scrap”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 18. 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.
Buried gem
OG — Better Share on Social Media places #2 on merit, 4.8★ from 216 reviews, but shows at wp.org #6. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Extensions For CF7 (Contact form 7 Database, Conditional Fields and Redirection) 5K+ · 4.9★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #1 2 OG — Better Share on Social Media 20K+ · 4.8★ (216)
wp.org #6 4 too low 3 
Share This Image 1K+ · 4.1★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 
Starfish Review Generation & Marketing for WordPress 100+ · 4.6★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #9 5 too low 5 
Hurda Fiyatları — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #2 3 too high 6 
Grounded AEO — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #3 3 too high 7 
Scrrraps — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
StoreCashier – POS, Inventory & Business Suite for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 C Change OG URL To HTTP 70+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 
Wp Libize 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #8 2 too high 11 
AIS: IP Blocker 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
Just1StepAhead SMS Notifications for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 2 too low 13 V Video Schema 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 2 too low 14 U Updates API Inspector 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 1 too high 15 
Malca-Amit Shipping Services 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 3 too high 16 T Template SEO Checker 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 1 too low 17 W WP-Hyves 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 1 too high 18 D Deviant Thumbs 10+ · 3.5★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 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.