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

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 map plugin”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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 Site Map Page shows at wp.org #5 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 1668 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #1 2 Leaflet Map 30K+ · 4.9★ (58) wp.org #2 3 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too low 5 Map Block for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (21) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #7 ↓1 8 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #12 ↑4 4 too low 9 Flexible Map 7K+ · 4.8★ (66) wp.org #9 10 Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map 10K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too low 11 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1668) wp.org #22 11 too low 12 Interactive Image Map Plugin – Draw Attention 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 Simple Shortcode for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.6★ (46) wp.org #13 14 Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks – Easy Redirect Manager 100K+ · 3.8★ (162) wp.org #17 ↑1 3 too low 15 Sitemap by BestWebSoft – WordPress XML Site Map Page Generator Plugin 20K+ · 4.3★ (115) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Very Simple Google Maps 3K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #10 ↑1 6 too high 17 Simple Site Map Page 6K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #5 12 too high 18 WP Map Block – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store & Shop Locator, Directory, Listings & Filters 20K+ · 4.0★ (20) wp.org #11 ↑1 7 too high 19 Travelers' Map 1K+ · 5.0★ (46) wp.org #18 ↓8 1 too high 20 Extensions for Leaflet Map 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 Image Hotspot – Map Image Annotation 3K+ · 4.9★ (22) wp.org #21 22 Interactive Image Map Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 CodePeople Post Map for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.2★ (31) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Tuskcode Map Pro for Bing Maps 600+ · 4.8★ (19) 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.