wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “shipping class”
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 “shipping class”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 4 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
WooCommerce Shipping shows at wp.org #6 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 70K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 18 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
PI Advanced Flat rate / Conditional shipping for WooCommerce places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 58 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83)
wp.org #1 2 
Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping 100K+ · 4.9★ (706)
wp.org #2 3 
Advanced Free Shipping for WooCommerce 40K+ · 4.8★ (122)
wp.org #4 ↑15 1 too low 4 
Shipping Live Rates for USPS for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (30)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071)
wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 
Shipping Live Rates and Access Points for UPS for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.7★ (77)
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 
Shipping Live Rates for FedEx for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.4★ (27)
wp.org #7 ↓1 8 
Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.6★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9 
Custom Shipping Methods for WooCommerce – Create Weight based Shipping, Conditional Shipping, Table Rate Shipping and much more 3K+ · 4.8★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 PI Advanced Flat rate / Conditional shipping for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (58)
wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11 
Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (25) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too high 12 
WC – APG Weight Shipping 6K+ · 4.3★ (49) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 1 too low 13 
USPS Simple Shipping for Woocommerce 8K+ · 4.4★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Free Shipping Per Product for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.0★ (33)
wp.org #20 6 too low 15 
Campos Checkout Brasileiro para WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (45) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 ↑1 8 too low 16 
Shipping Packages for WooCommerce – Dropship from multiple locations like AliExpress, eBay, Amazon, Etsy 900+ · 4.8★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #22 6 too low 17 
Shipping Zones by Drawing for WooCommerce 500+ · 4.1★ (24) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 
Shipping Live rates for Australia Post for WooCommerce 400+ · 4.6★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #21 3 too low 19 
Shipping Live Rates for DHL Express for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 
Shipping Live rates for Canada Post for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too high 21 
Conditional Payments and Shipping for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓2 3 too high 22 
Shipping Live Rates for Royal Mail for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓4 8 too high 23 WooCommerce Shipping 70K+ · 2.0★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↓2 17 too high 24 
Extra Shipping Rates for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 7 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.