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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “section 508”

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 “section 508”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Web Accessibility Toolkit – Accessibility Checker & ARIA for WCAG, Section 508 & ADA Compliance shows at wp.org #3 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 500+ 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

Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms places #5 on merit, 4.4★ from 433 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker – WCAG, ADA, EAA and Section 508 compliance 10K+ · 4.9★ (78) wp.org #1 2 Accessibility Tools & Alt Text Finder 3K+ · 4.9★ (69) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Accessibility Tool Kit: WP Accessibility checker plugin for WCAG, Section 508, ADA, EAA Compliance 1K+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Accessibility by UserWay 80K+ · 4.0★ (57) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms 20K+ · 4.4★ (433) wp.org #23 18 too low 6 AccessibleWP – Accessibility Toolbar 20K+ · 4.5★ (47) wp.org #18 ↓2 12 too low 7 Accesibilidad Web con el Widget de AccedeMe 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #7 8 WP ADA Compliance Check Basic 3K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 AI Alt Text Generator 2K+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #9 10 Accessibility by AllAccessible 2K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #10 11 ImgSEO – AI Image Alt Text Generator & Image SEO Tools 400+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #12 1 too low 12 DJ-Accessibility – Accessibility Plugin 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 AltTextLab – Bulk AI Alt Text Generator for Image SEO & Accessibility 100+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #14 1 too low 14 WebMax Accessibility for WCAG, Section 508, ADA, EAA Compliance — · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15 Web Accessibility Toolkit – Accessibility Checker & ARIA for WCAG, Section 508 & ADA Compliance 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 12 too high 16 Accessibility Enabler 300+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too high 17 AccessGO – Barrierefrei‑Plugin aus Deutschland: BFSG/BITV & DSGVO‑konform 50+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #21 ↓2 4 too low 18 Smart Alt Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 ↓2 4 too low 19 Easy Accessibility 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↑6 4 too high 20 Accessibility Guard 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 3 too high 21 Accessibility Assistant – Readabler 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓3 1 too high 22 WebAbility Accessibility Widget 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓2 2 too low 23 Accessibility Checker – WCAG 2.1 AA, EAA & Section 508 Site Audit – QAProof — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 One Accessibility – WordPress Accessibility Plugin & ADA Compliance Widget 200+ · 3.5★ (2) 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.