wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “simple css”
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 css”, 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.
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #1 2 
SiteOrigin CSS 100K+ · 4.9★ (153)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
Simple Custom CSS and JS 600K+ · 4.4★ (104)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #6 ↑3 2 too low 5 
Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 ↑3 1 too high 6 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too low 7 
Simple CSS 80K+ · 4.9★ (60)
wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too high 8 
Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627)
wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too low 9 
CSS & JavaScript Toolbox 10K+ · 4.8★ (84)
wp.org #9 ↓2 10 
Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158)
wp.org #13 ↑3 3 too low 11 
Seriously Simple Podcasting 20K+ · 4.7★ (330) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 1 too low 12 
Custom CSS Pro 7K+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓2 4 too high 13 
Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215)
wp.org #19 6 too low 14 
Simple Banner – Easily add multiple Banners/Bars/Notifications/Announcements to the top or bottom of your website 50K+ · 4.8★ (45)
wp.org #14 ↑7 15 
Simple Social Icons 100K+ · 4.3★ (92)
wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too low 16 
Simple Image Sizes 60K+ · 4.6★ (91)
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 
Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks – Easy Redirect Manager 100K+ · 3.8★ (162)
wp.org #17 18 Simple Author Box 90K+ · 4.3★ (115) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↑2 7 too high 19 
Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72)
wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too high 20 
WP Simple Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.8★ (227) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 ↓5 4 too low 21 
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone 20K+ · 4.8★ (194) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 
Simple Job Board 10K+ · 4.7★ (133) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓1 2 too high 23 
Simple User Avatar 20K+ · 4.6★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 
Simple Side Tab 10K+ · 4.8★ (22) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 3 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.