wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “simple menu”
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 menu”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Simple Menu Order Column shows at wp.org #9 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 200+ 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
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)
wp.org #2 3 
Simple Membership 40K+ · 4.6★ (475)
wp.org #3 ↑3 4 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #4 ↓1 5 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #7 ↓3 2 too low 6 
Admin Menu Editor 300K+ · 4.6★ (312)
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 
Sticky Menu & Sticky Header 90K+ · 4.7★ (763)
wp.org #8 1 too low 8 
Simple Floating Menu 10K+ · 5.0★ (38)
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #12 ↑5 3 too low 10 Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627)
wp.org #15 5 too low 11 
Really Simple CAPTCHA 300K+ · 4.2★ (131)
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 S Simple Lightbox 100K+ · 4.3★ (239)
wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too low 13 
Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158)
wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 
WP Responsive Menu 30K+ · 4.3★ (100)
wp.org #11 3 too high 15 
WP Menu Icons 20K+ · 4.9★ (139)
wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16 
Simple Author Box 90K+ · 4.3★ (115)
wp.org #16 ↑2 17 
Simple Page Ordering 100K+ · 4.7★ (131)
wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too low 18 
Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215)
wp.org #24 6 too low 19 R Really Simple CSV Importer 40K+ · 4.9★ (107)
wp.org #23 ↑1 4 too low 20 
Simple Local Avatars 100K+ · 4.6★ (89)
wp.org #22 ↑1 2 too low 21 
Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72)
wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too high 22 
SEO SIMPLE PACK 100K+ · 4.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↑1 4 too high 23 
Genesis Simple Menus 2K+ · 4.8★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too high 24 S Simple Menu Order Column 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #9 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.