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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sort table”

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 “sort table”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 2 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

TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables shows at wp.org #4 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 3K+ 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

Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 1962 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Table Builder – Drag & Drop Table Builder 50K+ · 4.8★ (681) wp.org #1 2 Posts Table with Search & Sort 3K+ · 4.6★ (19) wp.org #2 3 Product Table & List Builder for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.9★ (254) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Ninja Tables – Easy Data Table Builder 70K+ · 4.6★ (472) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 WP Sort Order 6K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Product Table for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.8★ (295) wp.org #6 7 Table Sorter 5K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #17 9 too low 9 Data Tables Generator by Supsystic – Excel-like, WooCommerce & Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.7★ (497) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1525) wp.org #19 ↑2 9 too low 11 Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296) wp.org #11 12 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 FlexTable – Data Table Sync with Google Sheets 3K+ · 4.6★ (35) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406) wp.org #20 ↑2 6 too low 15 PVT – Product Variation Table for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (49) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #4 12 too high 17 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #24 ↓5 7 too low 18 Product Sort and Display for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.1★ (45) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 Simple Table Manager 400+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #10 9 too high 20 T The Taxonomy Sort 60+ · 4.1★ (14) wp.org #22 ↑2 2 too low 21 Regenerate product lookup table for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 Table Editor 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 WPC Variations Table for WooCommerce 500+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 Table Addons for Elementor – Responsive Table Builder 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 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.