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

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 “site map”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

GPX Route Map shows at wp.org #8 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Maps Widget for Google Maps places #9 on merit, 4.6★ from 512 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Leaflet Map 30K+ · 4.9★ (58) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too low 2 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #4 ↓2 2 too low 3 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #3 ↑1 4 Simple Site Map Page 6K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 Flexible Map 7K+ · 4.8★ (66) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Sitemap by BestWebSoft – WordPress XML Site Map Page Generator Plugin 20K+ · 4.3★ (115) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too low 8 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #17 ↓2 8 too low 10 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too low 11 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #15 ↑3 4 too low 12 WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #20 7 too low 14 WP Sitemap Page 200K+ · 4.8★ (205) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #12 ↑5 3 too high 16 Travelers' Map 1K+ · 5.0★ (46) wp.org #11 ↓3 5 too high 17 WP Map Block – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store & Shop Locator, Directory, Listings & Filters 20K+ · 4.0★ (20) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 Simply Static – The Static Site Generator 30K+ · 4.5★ (195) wp.org #24 ↑1 5 too low 20 Gutenverse – WordPress Blocks, Page Builder & Site Editor 20K+ · 4.9★ (190) wp.org #23 ↓6 3 too low 21 Image Hotspot – Map Image Annotation 3K+ · 4.9★ (22) wp.org #13 ↑1 8 too high 22 Multiple Domain Mapping on Single Site 6K+ · 4.6★ (48) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 Tuskcode Map Pro for Bing Maps 600+ · 4.8★ (19) wp.org #22 ↑2 1 too high 24 GPX Route Map 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #8 ↑2 16 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.