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← Rankings

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

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 “sex”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 of the top 20. 2 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Calculate BMR and BMI shows at wp.org #4 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.5★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 AWP Classifieds 3K+ · 4.6★ (301) wp.org #3 ↓1 2 too low 2 BMI Adult & Kid Calculator 700+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Calorie Calculator 100+ · 3.4★ (10) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Rencontre – Dating Site 200+ · 3.8★ (49) wp.org #19 ↓3 15 too low 5 BigBuy Dropshipping Connector for WooCommerce 200+ · 2.3★ (32) wp.org #6 ↓3 1 too low 6 GedShow 200+ · 4.6★ (8) wp.org #10 ↓3 4 too low 7 Retro Winamp Block 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 ↓1 5 too high 8 WP Calorie Calculator 900+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #18 ↓5 10 too low 9 PetPress 70+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #17 ↓3 8 too low 10 Spotmaniac Dog Pedigree — · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↓3 3 too high 11 Calculate BMR and BMI 200+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #4 7 too high 12 C Carb planner for runners — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓3 4 too high 13 PetBridge 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓3 4 too high 14 CNX Medical Lite – Clinic EHR & Appointments — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓3 3 too high 15 Equiroof – Fair Housing Language & Rental Fee Disclosure — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 AP Family Archive – Genealogy Website from GEDCOM — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too high 17 F Family Wiki — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓5 3 too high 18 Boma Pet Nutrition Pro — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓5 3 too high 19 Live Chat by User.com 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓5 4 too low 20 CI Calorie Calculator 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Sidobe WP Notification 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓5 1 too low 22 Bg Highlight Names 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓5 2 too low 23 Content Sidebars 10+ · 2.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓4 7 too high 24 C Calotor Calorie Counter 10+ · 1.5★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓5 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.