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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “smileys”

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 “smileys”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Star Rating Field For Gravity Forms shows at wp.org #13 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Simple Business Directory – AI Powered places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 62 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Comments Like Dislike 4K+ · 4.6★ (38) wp.org #1 2 Gwolle Guestbook 20K+ · 4.8★ (113) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Rate My Post – Star Rating Plugin by FeedbackWP 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #3 4 Posts Like Dislike 5K+ · 4.3★ (23) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Clearfy Cache – WordPress optimization plugin, Minify HTML, CSS & JS, Defer 40K+ · 4.7★ (339) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 wp-Monalisa 600+ · 4.8★ (25) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 NEX-Forms – Ultimate Forms Plugin for WordPress 5K+ · 4.1★ (135) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Simple Business Directory – AI Powered 300+ · 4.9★ (62) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 Kama WP Smiles 300+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 Rating Widget: Post Rating, 5 Star Rating, Reviews, Thumbs Up & Down, Reaction 400+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 Booster Extension 6K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 Display Stock Status For WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Antarnisti Smiley for Kaskus — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too low 15 Tweakr – Advanced options toolkit 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Digital Signatures 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Form Themes 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 HappySmilePro — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Star Rating Field For Contact Form 7 800+ · 2.3★ (3) wp.org #10 9 too high 20 NEX-Forms ADD ON – Zapier Integration 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 E Emojify Studio – Custom Emoji & Sticker Builder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 Suuna Heart Reaction — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 Star Rating Field For Gravity Forms 100+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 SEPA QR-Code for Woocommerce (GDPR-compliant) 200+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.