wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “slot”
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 “slot”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Time Slot – Booking and Appointment System shows at wp.org #3 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking System – Bookly places #11 on merit, 4.4★ from 586 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.
WP Time Slots Booking Form 1K+ · 5.0★ (41)
wp.org #1 2 
Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551)
wp.org #2 3 
Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia 90K+ · 4.6★ (793)
wp.org #5 ↑7 2 too low 4 
ECS – Ele Custom Skin for Elementor 100K+ · 4.6★ (117)
wp.org #4 5 
Simply Schedule Appointments 50K+ · 5.0★ (155)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Booking Calendar 40K+ · 4.8★ (657)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
Easy Appointments 10K+ · 4.3★ (131)
wp.org #7 ↑2 8 
Appointment Hour Booking – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (524)
wp.org #12 ↑5 4 too low 9 
Appointment Booking Plugin – LatePoint | Calendar & Scheduling for WordPress 100K+ · 4.9★ (107)
wp.org #9 ↓2 10 
AMP for WP – Accelerated Mobile Pages 70K+ · 4.4★ (1319)
wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too low 11 Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking System – Bookly 60K+ · 4.4★ (586)
wp.org #17 ↓4 6 too low 12 Time Slot – Booking and Appointment System 100+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #3 9 too high 13 
Appointment Booking Calendar 1K+ · 4.2★ (92)
wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 
Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83)
wp.org #20 6 too low 15 
Order Delivery Date And Time 1K+ · 4.6★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #10 5 too high 16 
EMC – Embed Calendly Scheduling With Ease 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #11 5 too high 17 
Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61)
wp.org #18 1 too low 18 
Orderable – Restaurant & Food Ordering System 5K+ · 4.6★ (40)
wp.org #19 ↑2 1 too low 19 
WPS Bookings for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.5★ (43)
wp.org #21 ↓5 2 too low 20 
Timetics – Appointment Booking Calendar & Scheduling 2K+ · 4.6★ (36)
wp.org #22 2 too low 21 
Booking Package 10K+ · 4.0★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #13 8 too high 22 
Availability Datepicker – Booking Calendar for Contact Form 7 – Input WP 10K+ · 4.1★ (42)
wp.org #23 ↓4 1 too low 23 
Rox Appointment Booking – Event, Calendar & Appointment Scheduling 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓11 7 too high 24 
SheetDB – get your Google Spreadsheet data 600+ · 4.8★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 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.