wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “simple”
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 “simple”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 20. 4 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
Simple Author Box shows at wp.org #11 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 90K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 115 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Simple Share Buttons Adder places #10 on merit, 4.3★ from 627 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #1 2 
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262) not PHP-current
wp.org #2 3 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 
Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 ↑3 1 too high 5 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 
Contact Form 7 10M+ · 4.0★ (2186)
wp.org #8 ↑7 1 too low 8 
Really Simple CAPTCHA 300K+ · 4.2★ (131)
wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too high 9 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627)
wp.org #15 ↓2 5 too low 11 
Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104)
wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 
Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158)
wp.org #14 ↑5 2 too low 13 R Really Simple CSV Importer 40K+ · 4.9★ (107)
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too low 14 
Seriously Simple Podcasting 20K+ · 4.7★ (330) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15 
Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Simple Local Avatars 100K+ · 4.6★ (89)
wp.org #17 ↓7 1 too low 17 S Simple Lightbox 100K+ · 4.3★ (239) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 Simple Author Box 90K+ · 4.3★ (115) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 7 too high 19 
Simple Page Ordering 100K+ · 4.7★ (131)
wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20 
Simple Image Sizes 60K+ · 4.6★ (91)
wp.org #20 21 
Simple Social Icons 100K+ · 4.3★ (92)
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 
Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72)
wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 
SEO SIMPLE PACK 100K+ · 4.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 
Simple Chat Button 40K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 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.