wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sharing widget”
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 “sharing widget”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 20.
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
Sharing Image shows at wp.org #2 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery places #12 on merit, 4.3★ from 4342 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #1 2 
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333)
wp.org #4 ↓1 2 too low 3 
WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144)
wp.org #3 ↑6 4 
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone 20K+ · 4.8★ (194)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #5 6 
Hubbub Lite – Fast, free social sharing and follow buttons 30K+ · 4.7★ (173)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 
Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612)
wp.org #9 ↓2 2 too low 8 
Custom Twitter Feeds – A Tweets Widget or X Feed Widget 100K+ · 4.8★ (401)
wp.org #10 ↑4 2 too low 9 
Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80)
wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too high 10 
Buttonizer – Social Media Share Buttons, Social Icons, & Social Feeds 40K+ · 4.8★ (396)
wp.org #11 ↑2 1 too low 11 
Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4358)
wp.org #15 ↓4 4 too low 12 Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ · 4.3★ (4342)
wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too low 13 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758)
wp.org #12 ↑7 1 too high 14 
Social Login, Social Sharing by miniOrange 10K+ · 4.6★ (356)
wp.org #16 ↑2 2 too low 15 
AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114)
wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 
My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159)
wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too high 17 Sharing Image 600+ · 4.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #2 ↑2 15 too high 18 
HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489)
wp.org #18 ↓3 19 
ShopEngine – All-in-One Elementor WooCommerce Builder with eCommerce Templates & Woo Widgets 100K+ · 4.6★ (212)
wp.org #20 1 too low 20 
Robo Gallery – Photo & Image Slider 40K+ · 4.3★ (406)
wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 
Super Web Share – Native Social Sharing Button 2K+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #13 ↑4 8 too high 22 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #21 ↓19 1 too high 23 
Social Media Icon Widget – Social Profile Links with Gutenberg Block 4K+ · 4.1★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 24 
Simple Google Calendar Outlook Events Widget 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 2 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.