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

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 “signatures”, 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 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

NEX-Forms ADD ON – Digital Signatures shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 1720 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #1 2 Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1397) wp.org #2 3 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144) wp.org #3 4 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387) wp.org #4 5 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #5 ↑2 6 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 Ultra Addons for Contact Form 7 60K+ · 4.8★ (107) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #17 ↑2 9 too low 9 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #19 ↑2 10 too low 10 Digital Signature For Contact Form 7 5K+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too high 11 Signature Add-On for Gravity Forms 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) wp.org #9 2 too high 12 Postie 10K+ · 4.7★ (139) wp.org #22 ↓2 10 too low 13 Ditty – Responsive News Tickers, Sliders, and Lists 30K+ · 4.6★ (106) wp.org #20 ↑3 7 too low 14 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 Signature field for Elementor Forms 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 ↓1 9 too high 16 Digital Signature Add-on for WooCommerce 900+ · 3.1★ (19) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 WP Forms Signature Contract Add-On 800+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Ninja Forms Signature Contract Add-On 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too high 19 Digital Signature Checkout For WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 A Add Email Signature 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↑3 7 too high 21 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Digital Signatures 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 10 too high 22 Formidable Forms Signature Online Contract Automation 200+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Electronic Signature Add-on for Fluent Forms 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Signature Field With Contact Form 7 300+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 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.