wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “search plugins”
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 “search plugins”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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
Jetpack Search shows at wp.org #15 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 5K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 10 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 1281 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #1 2 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706)
wp.org #2 3 
Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 4 
Search Exclude 50K+ · 4.8★ (218)
wp.org #4 5 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
Better Search Replace 1M+ · 4.3★ (546)
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 
Search Regex 100K+ · 4.7★ (101)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.9★ (1815) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 9 
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter 70K+ · 4.8★ (266)
wp.org #9 10 
All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #10 11 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #16 4 too low 13 
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Advanced Woo Search – Product Search for WooCommerce 60K+ · 4.8★ (248) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 3 too high 15 
ACF: Better Search 40K+ · 4.9★ (165)
wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too low 16 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17 
Search & Filter 40K+ · 4.5★ (175)
wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too low 18 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↑3 2 too low 19 
Freesoul Deactivate Plugins – Disable plugins on individual WordPress pages 8K+ · 4.8★ (104)
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 
WP Search with Algolia 7K+ · 4.5★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #13 7 too high 21 
SearchWP Live Ajax Search 40K+ · 4.7★ (36)
wp.org #19 2 too high 22 U Upload Larger Plugins 6K+ · 5.0★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Jetpack Search 5K+ · 4.5★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #15 8 too high 24 
Search Analytics for WP – Site Search Tracking 3K+ · 5.0★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 ↓2 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.