wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “select link”

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 “select link”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

VK Link Target Controller shows at wp.org #4 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 30K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager places #10 on merit, 5.0★ from 1525 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Visual Link Preview 10K+ · 4.5★ (36) wp.org #2 3

Internal Links Manager 10K+ · 4.8★ (33) wp.org #3 4

Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 P Page Links To 100K+ · 4.9★ (157) wp.org #9 4 too low 6

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #14 ↑1 8 too low 7

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #13 6 too low 8

Link Juice Keeper 10K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #5 3 too high 9

Internal Link Juicer: SEO Auto Linker for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (537) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too low 10

Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525) wp.org #22 12 too low 11

Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ · 5.0★ (88) wp.org #19 ↑1 8 too low 12

Campos Checkout Brasileiro para WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (45) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #10 2 too high 13

Amazon Link Engine 2K+ · 4.4★ (31) wp.org #12 1 too high 14

Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #6 8 too high 15

Shipping Simulator for WooCommerce 6K+ · 5.0★ (40) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #17 2 too low 16

Auto Affiliate Links 2K+ · 4.1★ (39) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17

White Label – WordPress Custom Admin, Custom Login Page, and Custom Dashboard 10K+ · 5.0★ (21) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓5 6 too low 18

VK Link Target Controller 30K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #4 14 too high 19

LinkCentral – URL shortener, Affiliate Links & Custom Link Shortener with Link Tracking 400+ · 5.0★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓2 5 too low 20

Canonical Link 2K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #8 14 too high 23

Extend Link 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #11 12 too high 24

Link Invoice Payment for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓1 4 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.