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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “skype button”

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 “skype button”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder shows at wp.org #7 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WPUpper Share Buttons places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 196 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Call Now Button – The Free Click to Call Button for WordPress 200K+ · 4.8★ (102) wp.org #1 2 Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 10K+ · 4.9★ (1911) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333) wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too low 5 Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285) wp.org #9 ↓2 4 too low 6 Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Floating Chat Buttons – Click to Call or Chat, Email 1K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too low 10 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers 90K+ · 4.9★ (94) wp.org #16 ↓2 6 too low 11 Hover Effects – easily create any hover effect 7K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 WPUpper Share Buttons 4K+ · 4.9★ (196) wp.org #24 ↓3 12 too low 13 Floating Button – Easily Create Sticky, Fixed & Floating Buttons 4K+ · 3.0★ (15) wp.org #4 9 too high 14 Float menu – awesome floating side menu 30K+ · 4.4★ (41) wp.org #21 ↓2 7 too low 15 Mobile Contact Bar 9K+ · 4.6★ (30) wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too low 16 WowStore – Store Builder & Product Blocks for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.6★ (113) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 Sticky Buttons – Floating Buttons Builder 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #7 ↓1 10 too high 18 Social Snap — Social Share Buttons & Click to Tweet 10K+ · 4.2★ (58) wp.org #20 ↓2 2 too low 19 Smartarget – Chat Buttons & Engagement Apps 900+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too high 20 Mobile Contact Line 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #13 ↓2 7 too high 21 WP Click to Chat – Email, Live Chat, Call & Book Now Buttons 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #17 ↓2 4 too high 22 ShareThis Share Buttons 10K+ · 3.5★ (26) wp.org #14 ↓2 8 too high 23 All-in-one Chat Button by anychat.one 900+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓3 24 ShareThis Follow Buttons 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓2 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.