Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “split testing”

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 “split testing”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

EasyTest – Simplify A/B Testing shows at wp.org #3 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

All-in-One WP Migration and Backup places #9 on merit, 4.5★ from 7676 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Nelio A/B Testing – AB Tests and Heatmaps for Better Conversion Optimization 4K+ · 4.8★ (99) wp.org #1 2 PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322) wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too low 3 Split Test For Elementor 3K+ · 4.4★ (24) wp.org #2 ↓1 1 too high 4 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #13 ↓1 9 too low 5 BetterLinks – Link Shortener, Link Cloaking, Redirects, Affiliate Link Manager & MCP 20K+ · 4.8★ (85) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too low 6 Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too low 7 CartFlows – Funnel Builder & Checkout Plugin for WooCommerce 200K+ · 4.8★ (517) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too low 8 Personizely — A/B Testing, Personalization, Popups & CRO 300+ · 4.8★ (25) wp.org #8 9 All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ · 4.5★ (7676) wp.org #22 13 too low 10 Mailmunch Forms for Mailchimp 10K+ · 4.6★ (372) wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too low 11 Icegram Engage – Popups, Welcome Bars, Optins, Slide-Ins & Lead Generation for WordPress 10K+ · 4.7★ (370) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 If-So Dynamic Content – Elementor & All Page Builders Personalization 7K+ · 4.7★ (92) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 SendPulse Free Web Push 500+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #12 1 too high 14 Hafenstudios Ads – Ad Manager, AdSense & Banner Ads 100+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #18 ↓3 4 too low 15 LinkCentral – URL shortener, Affiliate Links & Custom Link Shortener with Link Tracking 400+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #23 ↓1 8 too low 16 Unbounce Landing Pages 10K+ · 3.2★ (11) wp.org #6 10 too high 17 Sigmize: A/B Testing, Session Recordings, Heatmaps & Revenue Tracking for WooCommerce, SureCart & EDD 5K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #4 ↓1 13 too high 18 Opti-Behavior – Self-Hosted Heatmaps, Funnels, A/B Testing & Smart Insights 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #14 ↓2 4 too high 19 Wingify 4K+ · 3.0★ (6) wp.org #9 ↓2 10 too high 20 EasyTest – Simplify A/B Testing 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 ↓1 17 too high 21 CausalFunnel A/B Testing 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 22 Mida A/B Testing 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too high 23 abtestkit – AB testing for WooCommerce 10+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 W Wbcom Designs – WB Ad Manager 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓2 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.