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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sidebar block”

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 “sidebar block”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

VK Block Patterns shows at wp.org #3 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder places #10 on merit, 4.5★ from 7322 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Advanced Sidebar Menu 10K+ · 4.5★ (37) wp.org #1 2 Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ · 5.0★ (88) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Flexible Table Block 40K+ · 4.9★ (34) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 Resizable Sidebar for the Gutenberg Block Editor 3K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 PublishPress Blocks – Block Controls, Block Visibility, Block Permissions 20K+ · 4.7★ (204) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Blocks Animation: CSS Animations for Gutenberg Blocks 90K+ · 4.8★ (73) wp.org #9 1 too low 9 SimpLy Gallery 40K+ · 4.8★ (118) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #16 6 too low 11 Button Block – Stylish buttons that get more clicks 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 Create Block Theme 20K+ · 4.8★ (38) wp.org #17 5 too low 13 Code Block Pro – Beautiful Syntax Highlighting 10K+ · 4.8★ (50) wp.org #23 ↑1 10 too low 14 Block Manager 4K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #13 1 too high 15 Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 VK Block Patterns 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 13 too high 17 Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too low 18 Easy Tabs Block – Smart, Lightweight & Responsive Tabs for the Block Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 Flexible Spacer Block 4K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Hyperlink Group Block 7K+ · 4.3★ (14) wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 VK Blocks 100K+ · 4.8★ (6) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Carousel Block – Showcase Images in Elegant Sliding Displays 7K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #22 23 Justify for Paragraph Block 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 S Shortcodes in Sidebar 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 9 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.