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← Rankings

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

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 tagging”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

Tagging shows at wp.org #3 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 995 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Customer Reviews for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (1539) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 Google for WooCommerce 800K+ · 2.7★ (268) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #4 5 FluentCRM – Email Newsletter, Automation, Email Marketing, Email Campaigns, Optins, Leads, and CRM Solution 80K+ · 4.8★ (250) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) wp.org #11 5 too low 7 Download Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (1006) wp.org #9 ↓2 2 too low 8 Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia 90K+ · 4.6★ (793) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Kit (formerly ConvertKit) – Email Newsletter, Email Marketing, Membership, Subscribers and Landing Pages 40K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #7 ↑1 2 too high 10 Envira Gallery – Image Photo Gallery, Albums, Video Gallery, Slideshows & More 100K+ · 4.7★ (1597) wp.org #12 ↑1 2 too low 11 Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005) wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Logos Reftagger 10K+ · 4.8★ (15) wp.org #8 ↑1 4 too high 13 Widgets for Airbnb Reviews 6K+ · 4.6★ (60) wp.org #21 8 too low 14 Active Campaign & Contact Form 7 3K+ · 4.4★ (18) wp.org #13 ↓1 1 too high 15 Intagrate Lite 4K+ · 4.1★ (27) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 FluentPlayer – Video Player With Forms & Lead Capture 2K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Proxy Cache Purge 50K+ · 4.4★ (26) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 Tagging 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 15 too high 19 Popup builder with Gamification, Multi-Step Popups, Page-Level Targeting, and WooCommerce Triggers 70K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Comment Mention 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Klaviyo 100K+ · 2.8★ (24) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 ELEX WordPress HelpDesk & Customer Ticketing System 200+ · 3.9★ (7) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 UseStrict’s Calendly Embedder 2K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Global Site Tag Tracking 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #18 6 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.