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← Rankings

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

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 “seniors”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Hello Bar Popup Builder shows at wp.org #6 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.6★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) wp.org #1 2 Link Whisper Free 30K+ · 4.2★ (150) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Trinity Audio – Text to Speech AI audio player to convert content into audio 2K+ · 4.0★ (25) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 WP Directory Kit 2K+ · 4.9★ (35) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Memberstack – Member Management & Content Protection 90+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 Real Accessibility: Accessibility Widget & Toolbar 1K+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Sublium Subscriptions – Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Recurring Payments, Subscription Plans & Installments 700+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Peki – Fiken Integration for WooCommerce 40+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 Beauty Form Styler for Gravity Forms 500+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too low 10 List Petfinder Pets 400+ · 4.8★ (11) wp.org #21 ↓2 11 too low 11 Bulk Export Import Images SEO Attributes 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 Event RSVP and Simple Event Management Plugin 20+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #23 ↓3 11 too low 13 S Scintilla Blocks 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑2 14 EDigital Accessibility Tools and Statement 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓2 15 Siddik Tone Hints — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 4 too high 16 SEO Flow by LupsOnline 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too high 17 Hello Bar Popup Builder 3K+ · 1.6★ (7) wp.org #6 ↑1 11 too high 18 PlusBusPlanner — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too low 19 GST Invoice for India – Automatic Tax Invoice, CGST/SGST & B2B GSTIN for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too high 20 Hospital Booking & Clinic Management System – Doctor Appointment Plugin by KrishnaDas — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓1 3 too high 21 GoalPrevail Trust Icons 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Delivery Date for WooCommerce – Local Delivery Scheduler & Shipping Calendar by KrishnaDas — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 S Siteler TV Köşe Yazarları — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 Order Chat for WooCommerce – Instant WhatsApp Order Notifications & Click-to-Chat Button by KrishnaDas — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.