wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “search query”
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 query”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Contact Form Query shows at wp.org #18 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 1K+ 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.
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #1 2 
Search Exclude 50K+ · 4.8★ (218)
wp.org #2 3 
Ivory Search – WordPress Search Plugin 90K+ · 4.9★ (1562)
wp.org #5 2 too low 4 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #4 5 
Better Search Replace 1M+ · 4.3★ (546)
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27820)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter 70K+ · 4.8★ (266)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.9★ (1815)
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 
Advanced Woo Search – Product Search for WooCommerce 60K+ · 4.8★ (248)
wp.org #9 ↓2 10 
ACF: Better Search 40K+ · 4.9★ (165)
wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11 
Advanced Query Loop 6K+ · 4.6★ (30)
wp.org #8 ↑2 3 too high 12 
Highlight Search Terms 6K+ · 5.0★ (40)
wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too low 13 
SearchWP Live Ajax Search 40K+ · 4.7★ (36)
wp.org #13 ↓1 14 
WP Search with Algolia 7K+ · 4.5★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑4 3 too high 15 
BP Profile Search 5K+ · 5.0★ (71)
wp.org #20 ↑1 5 too low 16 
Search in Place 3K+ · 4.9★ (64)
wp.org #19 ↑1 3 too low 17 
Search Analytics for WP – Site Search Tracking 3K+ · 5.0★ (30)
wp.org #16 1 too high 18 
Better Search – Relevant search results for WordPress 5K+ · 4.4★ (61)
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 
Sokol: Smart WooCommerce Search 5K+ · 4.4★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too high 20 
Search Insights – Privacy-Friendly Search Analytics 3K+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #22 ↑1 2 too low 21 M Media Search Enhanced 5K+ · 4.4★ (28)
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Admin Search 1K+ · 4.5★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too high 23 
AI Search for WooCommerce – Semantic Search 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓5 24 Contact Form Query 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↑1 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.