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

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 “shortode”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 6 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

HM Resume Manager shows at wp.org #8 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

VS Knowledge Base 300+ · 4.8★ (17) thin reviews wp.org #1 2

Remove Orphan Shortcodes 1K+ · 3.9★ (14) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #3 1 too low 3

WP Mapa Politico España 300+ · 5.0★ (26) wp.org #7 4 too low 4

VS Link Manager 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #2 2 too high 5

GatewayAPI 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #4 1 too high 6

EO4WP: EmailOctopus for WordPress 200+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #6 7

Menukaart – Restaurant Menu & Online Ordering with WooCommerce 20+ · 4.8★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #9 2 too low 8

Wanna Isotope 200+ · 5.0★ (7) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 8 too low 9

Raisely Donation Form 200+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #5 4 too high 10

Master Accordion ( Former WP Awesome FAQ Plugin ) 700+ · 2.9★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk wp.org #12 2 too low 11

SWE Osome Post Slider — · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 3 too low 12

Mon Laboratoire 60+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #11 1 too high 13

Devgirl Countdown Clock 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 14

Classroom Library 20+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #10 4 too high 15

HM Resume Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #8 7 too high 16

Crypto2BGN — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 1 too high 17 G Gridster 20+ · 3.0★ (8) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 M MoveOn Campaigns 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too low 19

No Frills Gallery 10+ · 4.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 1 too high 20 T Track Kickstarter Project 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 3 too high 21 D Dob Easy Shortcode 10+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 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.