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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “script blocker”

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 “script blocker”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 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

Cookie Rocket, Cookie Consent Banner and Script Blocker for GDPR, CCPA and LGPD shows at wp.org #9 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 70+ 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

Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 399 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #1 2 Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 IP2Location Country Blocker 30K+ · 4.1★ (128) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Woody Code Snippets – Insert PHP, CSS, JS, and Header/Footer Scripts 50K+ · 4.5★ (221) wp.org #4 ↓1 5 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758) wp.org #5 6 Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads 300K+ · 4.9★ (2433) wp.org #11 5 too low 7 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Real Cookie Banner: GDPR & ePrivacy Cookie Consent 100K+ · 4.9★ (492) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too low 10 SureCookie – GDPR Cookie Consent Banner, Cookie Scanner & Script Blocking 70K+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 GDPR Cookie Compliance – Cookie Banner, Cookie Consent, Cookie Notice for CCPA, EU Cookie Law 300K+ · 4.6★ (205) wp.org #12 ↓2 1 too low 12 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #20 8 too low 13 Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453) wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too low 14 Quads Ads Manager for Google AdSense 20K+ · 4.9★ (1087) wp.org #19 ↓2 5 too low 15 CAOS | Host Google Analytics Locally 10K+ · 4.9★ (128) wp.org #18 3 too low 16 GTM Kit – Google Tag Manager & GA4 integration 30K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #22 ↓3 6 too low 17 Zero Spam for WordPress 20K+ · 4.1★ (143) wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 BitFire Security – Firewall, Malware Scanner, Bot Blocker, Login Protection 300+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #13 ↓1 5 too high 19 WPEPP – Essential Security, Password Protect & Login Page Customizer 3K+ · 4.1★ (19) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Trace My IP – Visitor IP Tracker, Stats Analytics & Page Views Counter with Email Alerts 1K+ · 4.5★ (21) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too high 22 CookieBoxs – GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent & Google Consent Mode v2 200+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #14 8 too high 23 Cookie Rocket, Cookie Consent Banner and Script Blocker for GDPR, CCPA and LGPD 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↑13 14 too high 24 ConsentOwl — Cookie Consent & Tracker Blocker 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓1 8 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.