Plugin Pulse
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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sitewide”

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 “sitewide”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

Siteboosterseo shows at wp.org #7 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 3K+ 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

Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 640 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Sitewide Notice WP 3K+ · 4.6★ (16) wp.org #1 2 PPWP – Password Protect Pages 30K+ · 4.7★ (270) wp.org #3 ↑2 1 too low 3 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1893) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 WP Encryption – One Click SSL / HTTPS & Free SSL Certificate, HTTPS Redirect, Security 50K+ · 4.9★ (1144) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content 10K+ · 4.2★ (60) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 Read More Without Refresh 20K+ · 4.2★ (55) wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too high 7 Easy Modal 7K+ · 4.4★ (124) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Block Editor Colors 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #21 12 too low 10 Event Countdown for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.6★ (47) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Visual Composer Website Builder 30K+ · 4.6★ (220) wp.org #23 12 too low 12 Books Gallery – Book Showcase, Library & Affiliate Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (92) wp.org #22 10 too low 13 Really Simple Featured Video for Posts, Pages & WooCommerce Products 5K+ · 4.0★ (34) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 SEO Booster 900+ · 4.8★ (54) wp.org #24 10 too low 15 Easy Notification Bar 9K+ · 4.6★ (16) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 WP Terms Popup – Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy WordPress Popups 3K+ · 4.8★ (15) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Contact Form 7 Google Analytics 7K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 Header Footer Script Adder 1K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #11 7 too high 19 Radio Station by netmix® – Manage and play your Show Schedule in WordPress! 1K+ · 4.6★ (30) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Site Notes: Site Feedback, Site Notes with Sitewide Visual Commenting 20+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 Siteboosterseo 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 ↑1 14 too high 22 Amazing Affiliates – Toolkit for Amazon Associates with Amazon Product Blocks and Amazon PAAPI5 / Creators API integration 600+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Product Disclaimer For WooCommerce 80+ · 3.0★ (6) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 Highlight Sitewide Notice, Text, Button Menu 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 11 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.