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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “space saver”

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 “space saver”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 3 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

Infinite Uploads – Offload, Optimize & Organize Your Media Library shows at wp.org #4 but places #8 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.4★ average from 19 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

IP Geo Block places #10 on merit, 4.2★ from 95 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Imsanity 200K+ · 4.9★ (292) wp.org #1 2 Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302) wp.org #2 3 Smart Manager – WooCommerce Bulk Edit: Products, Orders, Users & More (Spreadsheet) 10K+ · 4.4★ (288) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 Assistant – Every Day Productivity Apps 4K+ · 4.9★ (15) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 PowerPack Addons for Elementor (Free Widgets, Extensions and Templates) 70K+ · 4.8★ (361) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 WP EXtra – One Click Optimize 6K+ · 4.9★ (41) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 SureCart – Ecommerce Made Easy For Selling Physical Products, Digital Downloads, Subscriptions, Donations, & Payments 80K+ · 4.8★ (283) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Infinite Uploads – Offload, Optimize & Organize Your Media Library 800+ · 4.4★ (19) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Variable Inspector 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 IP Geo Block 8K+ · 4.2★ (95) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 Database for Contact Form 7 7K+ · 4.2★ (14) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 Searchips Search By Image for WooCommerce 10+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 AdminEase – All-in-One Admin Toolkit: Security & Performance 60+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 Redact — Blackout & Erasure Poetry — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 15 Tailwatch – Security, Backups, Monitoring & Management 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 16 CacheLoop – Simple Page Cache & Speed Optimization — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Noesia Smart Waiter — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 SlopStopper: AI Generative Content Obscurer — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Auto Archive for Gravity Forms — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Small Package Quotes – UPS Edition 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 S Simple Front End Edit Buttons 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Small Package Quotes – Worldwide Express Edition 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 4 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.