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

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 “scss”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 4 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

Theme SCSS Compiler shows at wp.org #3 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 100+ 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.

Buried gem

WPIDE – File Manager & Code Editor places #3 on merit, 4.8★ from 306 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 W WP-SCSS 40K+ · 4.3★ (61) wp.org #1 2 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #5 ↑1 3 too low 3 WPIDE – File Manager & Code Editor 40K+ · 4.8★ (306) wp.org #9 6 too low 4 Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks – Easy Redirect Manager 100K+ · 3.8★ (162) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281) wp.org #8 ↓4 3 too low 6 Gantry 5 Framework 7K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 CodeKit – Custom Codes Editor 7K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #4 ↑3 3 too high 8 SCSS WP Editor 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 BetterLinks – Link Shortener, Link Cloaking, Redirects, Affiliate Link Manager & MCP 20K+ · 4.8★ (85) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Code Block Pro – Beautiful Syntax Highlighting 10K+ · 4.8★ (50) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too low 11 Popups for WooCommerce: Add to Cart, Checkout & More 2K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #11 12 CartPops – WooCommerce Side Cart, Cart Drawer & Cart Popup 4K+ · 4.2★ (26) wp.org #10 ↓2 2 too high 13 easy.jobs – AI powered Job Listing, Job Board, Career Page, Recruitment & Hiring Solution 4K+ · 4.7★ (26) wp.org #20 7 too low 14 Kali Forms — Contact Form & Drag-and-Drop Builder 10K+ · 4.8★ (89) wp.org #24 ↓2 10 too low 15 Theme SCSS Compiler 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 12 too high 16 Social Snap — Social Share Buttons & Click to Tweet 10K+ · 4.2★ (58) wp.org #21 ↓3 5 too low 17 Tourfic – AI Powered Travel Booking, Hotel Booking & Car Rental 1K+ · 4.1★ (16) wp.org #23 ↓2 6 too low 18 Simplify Admin Menus 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 ↓3 2 too high 19 Advanced Call To Action Block 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓4 2 too high 20 Easy Content Manager (ECM) – Custom Post Types, Custom Fields & Content Management 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 Document Embedder Addons for Elementor – Embed Documents in Elementor Websites 6K+ · 3.7★ (7) wp.org #19 ↓3 2 too high 22 Feedspace Review Widgets 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓4 8 too high 23 Fediverse Embeds 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓3 11 too high 24 Forma Favicon 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓3 6 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.