Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “simple checkout”

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 checkout”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 7 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

Checkout for PayPal shows at wp.org #13 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

FunnelKit – Funnel Builder Plugin for WooCommerce Checkout places #8 on merit, 5.0★ from 1028 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262) wp.org #1 2 Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 400K+ · 4.9★ (1056) wp.org #2 3 Flexible Checkout Fields for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Checkout Manager 80K+ · 4.7★ (296) wp.org #3 4 Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215) wp.org #6 ↑1 7 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #7 ↑2 8 FunnelKit – Funnel Builder Plugin for WooCommerce Checkout 30K+ · 5.0★ (1028) wp.org #17 9 too low 9 MultiStep Checkout for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.8★ (55) wp.org #10 ↑1 1 too low 10 Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (40) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too high 11 WP Express Checkout (Fast Payments via PayPal & Stripe) 1K+ · 4.9★ (32) wp.org #11 ↑2 12 Checkout Files Upload for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.4★ (14) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 Digital Goods for WooCommerce Checkout 3K+ · 4.5★ (42) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 Sliding Cart for WooCommerce by FunnelKit – Skip Cart & Reach WooCommerce Checkout Faster 30K+ · 5.0★ (111) wp.org #22 ↓1 8 too low 15 Simple Page Access Restriction 6K+ · 4.9★ (32) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 USPS Simple Shipping for Woocommerce 8K+ · 4.4★ (28) wp.org #14 ↑2 2 too high 17 Really Simple Featured Video for Posts, Pages & WooCommerce Products 4K+ · 4.0★ (34) wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 WooCommerce PayPal Payments 800K+ · 2.9★ (583) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 Simple Catalog for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too high 20 CoffeeCode – Checkout for Getnet and WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Simple Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create a Loyalty Program 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #15 ↑3 6 too high 22 Checkout for PayPal 500+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #13 ↑1 9 too high 23 WP Eventbrite Embedded Checkout – Ticket Checkout Block, Popup & Elementor Widget 700+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 SimplyBook.me – Booking and reservations calendar 30K+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↑2 4 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.