wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “shows”
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 “shows”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Show IDs by Echo shows at wp.org #6 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 2K+ 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.
Buried gem
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 1281 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.
Show Current Template 100K+ · 5.0★ (71)
wp.org #1 2 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #2 3 
Show Pages IDs 10K+ · 5.0★ (103)
wp.org #3 4 
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by MetaSlider – Image Slider, Video Slider 500K+ · 4.6★ (743)
wp.org #10 ↓3 6 too low 5 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #11 ↓2 6 too low 6 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #14 8 too low 7 
JSM Show Post Metadata 10K+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 
Show modified Date in admin lists 6K+ · 4.9★ (32)
wp.org #7 ↑4 1 too high 9 Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #20 11 too low 10 
Weaver Show Posts 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↑1 6 too high 11 
Omnibus — show the lowest price 10K+ · 4.1★ (51)
wp.org #9 2 too high 12 
Simply Show Hooks 1K+ · 5.0★ (63)
wp.org #12 ↑3 13 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #21 8 too low 14 
Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285)
wp.org #22 ↓12 8 too low 15 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓11 16 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
Image Source Control Lite – Show Image Credits and Captions 3K+ · 4.6★ (42)
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
Show only lowest prices in variable products for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.8★ (28) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 1 too high 19 
Radio Station by netmix® – Manage and play your Show Schedule in WordPress! 1K+ · 4.6★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 3 too high 20 
Show Stock Status for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 2 too high 21 
Weaver Show Sliders 900+ · 4.5★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #13 8 too high 22 
JSM Show User Metadata 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑4 14 too high 23 
Show Me The Cookies 400+ · 4.8★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↑1 24 Show IDs by Echo 2K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #6 ↑2 18 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.