wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “simpsons”

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 “simpsons”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 3 of the top 18. 5 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.

merit plugin signals wp.org

wp-greet 50+ · 4.9★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #2 1 too low 2

Stock Locations for WooCommerce 800+ · 4.8★ (53) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 2 too low 3

Hola Simpsons — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #1 2 too high 4 F Form to Post 100+ · 5.0★ (12) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 8 too low 5

1001Web Maintenance & Launch Pages — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 2 too high 6

AI Content Creator – Easy ChatGPT powered article generator 400+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #5 1 too high 7

Hello Simpsons Chalkboard Gag 20+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 8

DeliveryPlus 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #6 2 too high 9 A Admin-Colour 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 1 too high 10

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.