wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “smart responsive”
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 “smart responsive”, 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
Mobile Smart App Banner shows at wp.org #13 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Slider by Soliloquy – Responsive Image Slider for WordPress places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 1025 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Smart Slider 3 800K+ · 4.9★ (1125)
wp.org #1 2 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #2 ↑3 3 
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #6 3 too low 4 
WPC Smart Quick View for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5 
WPC Smart Compare for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (44)
wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too high 6 
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by MetaSlider – Image Slider, Video Slider 500K+ · 4.6★ (743)
wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too low 7 
Master Slider – Responsive Touch Slider 60K+ · 4.6★ (504)
wp.org #9 ↑2 2 too low 8 
Smart Variations Images & Swatches for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (142)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #11 ↑3 2 too low 10 
YMC Filter 4K+ · 4.8★ (34)
wp.org #5 ↓1 5 too high 11 Slider by Soliloquy – Responsive Image Slider for WordPress 30K+ · 4.7★ (1025)
wp.org #18 7 too low 12 
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (808)
wp.org #16 ↓3 4 too low 13 
Custom Product Tabs for WooCommerce & WordPress Tabs Builder – Smart Tabs 10K+ · 4.9★ (134)
wp.org #15 ↓8 2 too low 14 
Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News 20K+ · 4.7★ (210)
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720)
wp.org #22 7 too low 16 
HTML5 Video Player – embed fast, responsive videos with ease 20K+ · 4.6★ (195)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
Smart Grid-Layout Design for Contact Form 7 10K+ · 4.5★ (72)
wp.org #19 ↑4 2 too low 18 
Responsive Team Members Showcase, Team Grid, Team Slider, and Staff List – Smart Team (formerly WP Team) 5K+ · 4.7★ (92)
wp.org #21 ↓1 3 too low 19 
Product Variation Swatches for WooCommerce – Smart Swatches 700+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #10 9 too high 20 
Responsive Filterable Portfolio Gallery – Media Grid & Video Portfolio 1K+ · 4.6★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #12 8 too high 21 
Smooth Back To Top Button 40K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 
Smart Brands for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑2 8 too high 23 
WP Smart Import : Import any XML File to WordPress 900+ · 3.9★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓2 24 Mobile Smart App Banner 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑2 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.