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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “software distribution”

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 “software distribution”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

{eac}SoftwareRegistry Distribution SDK shows at wp.org #14 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Serial Numbers – Ultimate License Manager for Selling, Licensing & Securely Delivering Digital Content with WooCommerce places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 78 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27820) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 FluentCart A New Era of eCommerce – Faster, Lighter, and Simpler 9K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #2 ↑3 1 too high 4 Nelio Content – Editorial Calendar & Social Media Auto-Posting 3K+ · 4.4★ (104) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 MainWP Dashboard: Self-hosted WordPress Management for Agencies 20K+ · 4.9★ (2354) wp.org #13 ↑4 7 too low 7 Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery 100K+ · 4.5★ (1581) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 Yatra – Travel Booking & Tour Operator Software 600+ · 4.7★ (23) wp.org #4 ↓1 4 too high 9 APCu Manager 10K+ · 4.6★ (20) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 CallPage – Callback Widget 1K+ · 4.6★ (27) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Serial Numbers – Ultimate License Manager for Selling, Licensing & Securely Delivering Digital Content with WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (78) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 OPcache Manager 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 M Chart 3K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 CopySafe PDF Protection – Copy Protect PDF 300+ · 3.9★ (14) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Sessions 900+ · 4.8★ (8) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 CM Download Manager – Organize, Protect & Share Files in WordPress 100+ · 3.9★ (43) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 LWS Optimize – All-in-One Speed Booster & Cache Tools 20K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #16 ↓2 1 too high 18 Easy PHP Settings 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #22 4 too low 19 CopySafe Video Protection – Copy Protect Video 100+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 Key Manager – Effortlessly sell license keys, game keys, pin codes, gift cards, and more with WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Quizably – Quiz Maker, Personality Quiz & Survey Builder 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 {eac}SoftwareRegistry Distribution SDK — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too high 23 IP Locator 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 Display Server Info 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 3 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.