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

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 “sexy”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 10 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

WP UniformJS shows at wp.org #12 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

AMP for WP – Accelerated Mobile Pages 70K+ · 4.4★ (1319) heavy footprint wp.org #2 1 too low 2

POP – e-invoicing for WooCommerce: SdI, PEPPOL, KSeF (ex-WooPop) 80+ · 4.9★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint thin reviews wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Flipping Cards 300+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #1 2 too high 4 C Creative Contact Form 100+ · 4.1★ (24) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 5 too low 5 S SuperCPT 600+ · 5.0★ (14) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 ↑1 9 too low 6

EZDIGI Tool — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #4 2 too high 7 O OpenBadges.me Open Badges designer 20+ · 4.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 ↑1 8 too low 8

Rating Plus 10+ · 3.7★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 9 F FT Calendar 100+ · 2.9★ (7) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked wp.org #5 4 too high 10

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.