wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “shortcode post”
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 “shortcode post”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 3 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
Snippet Shortcodes shows at wp.org #14 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 25 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Duplicate Post places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 1623 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #1 2 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #2 ↑3 3 
Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236)
wp.org #4 ↑3 1 too low 4 
The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid 100K+ · 4.8★ (265)
wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #6 ↓3 1 too low 6 
Latest Post Shortcode 4K+ · 4.8★ (46)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 
Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58)
wp.org #7 ↓1 8 
Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (210) heavy footprint
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #11 2 too low 10 
Shortcodes Ultimate – Content Elements 400K+ · 4.9★ (5925) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 2 too low 11 
Rate My Post – Star Rating Plugin by FeedbackWP 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Duplicate Post 300K+ · 4.9★ (1623)
wp.org #20 ↑1 8 too low 13 
Shortcode Redirect 10K+ · 4.3★ (31)
wp.org #9 4 too high 14 
Post Grid 30K+ · 4.3★ (163)
wp.org #16 2 too low 15 
The Events Calendar Shortcode & Block 10K+ · 4.7★ (101)
wp.org #17 2 too low 16 
WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #13 3 too high 17 
WP Popular Posts 100K+ · 4.5★ (249)
wp.org #21 ↓3 4 too low 18 
W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94)
wp.org #18 ↑1 19 
Post Slider and Post Carousel with Post Vertical Scrolling Widget – A Responsive Post Slider 10K+ · 4.7★ (31)
wp.org #15 4 too high 20 
Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187)
wp.org #23 3 too low 21 
Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80)
wp.org #24 ↓1 3 too low 22 Snippet Shortcodes 3K+ · 4.7★ (25)
wp.org #14 8 too high 23 
Display Post Types – Post Grid, post list and post sliders 8K+ · 5.0★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too high 24 
Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 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.