wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “signup forms”
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 “signup forms”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
Acumbamail shows at wp.org #9 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 1K+ 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
Formidable Forms – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Payment, Calculator Form & Custom Form Builder places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 1387 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.
MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435) heavy footprint
wp.org #2 ↓1 1 too low 2 
Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 ↑8 1 too low 3 
Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder with AI 90K+ · 4.9★ (375) heavy footprint
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 
MailerLite – Signup forms (official) 100K+ · 2.9★ (41) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement
wp.org #1 ↑1 3 too high 5 
MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↑5 6 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220)
wp.org #15 ↓1 9 too low 7 Formidable Forms – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Payment, Calculator Form & Custom Form Builder 300K+ · 4.8★ (1387)
wp.org #19 ↓1 12 too low 8 
hCaptcha for WP 70K+ · 4.6★ (88)
wp.org #12 ↓3 4 too low 9 
ActiveLayer Anti-Spam: Spam Protection for Forms & Comments 10K+ · 4.9★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↑8 2 too high 10 
Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms 20K+ · 4.4★ (433)
wp.org #22 12 too low 11 
Invisible Anti-Spam & CAPTCHA — reCAPTCHA Alternative for All Forms 4K+ · 4.8★ (50)
wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too low 12 
Mailmunch Forms for Mailchimp 10K+ · 4.6★ (372) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too low 13 
Gutena Forms – Contact Form, Survey Form, Feedback Form, Booking Form, and Custom Form Builder 20K+ · 4.5★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓2 3 too high 14 
Retainful – WooCommerce Abandoned Cart, Newsletters, Email Marketing, Signup Forms and Automation 1K+ · 4.9★ (98) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↑7 3 too low 15 
Constant Contact Forms 20K+ · 2.6★ (107)
wp.org #8 ↓5 7 too high 16 
Custom Contact Forms 6K+ · 3.5★ (171)
wp.org #21 5 too low 17 
Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓3 7 too low 18 
Constant Contact Forms by MailMunch 2K+ · 4.2★ (49) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↑3 19 
Mailchimp List Subscribe Form 60K+ · 2.6★ (77)
wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too low 20 
Laposta Signup Basic 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #6 14 too high 21 
WPZOOM Forms – Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder for WordPress 10K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓7 10 too high 22 
Block for Mailchimp – grow your email list with signup forms 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #13 9 too high 23 
Mailster Gravity Forms 800+ · 4.3★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #23 24 Acumbamail 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓2 15 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.