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

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 “stage”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

WooCommerce Analytics shows at wp.org #10 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Timeline Widget For Elementor (Elementor Timeline, Vertical & Horizontal Timeline) places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 248 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 Quiz Maker, Poll Maker & Survey Maker by Opinion Stage 6K+ · 4.4★ (277) wp.org #1 2 Ads.txt Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #2 3 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #7 ↑2 4 too low 4 FluentBoards – Project Management, Task Management, Goal Tracking, Kanban Board, and, Team Collaboration 6K+ · 5.0★ (25) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Quttera ThreatSign – Web Malware Scanner for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (47) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce – Color, Image & Size Swatches 200K+ · 4.6★ (51) wp.org #8 ↓3 2 too low 7 Timeline Widget For Elementor (Elementor Timeline, Vertical & Horizontal Timeline) 70K+ · 4.8★ (248) wp.org #14 ↓1 7 too low 8 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too low 9 OneSignal – Web Push Notifications 60K+ · 4.3★ (360) wp.org #9 ↓1 10 WP Import Export Lite 40K+ · 4.0★ (113) wp.org #11 ↑7 1 too low 11 DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer 200K+ · 4.9★ (194) wp.org #18 ↓6 7 too low 12 Edit Flow 4K+ · 4.2★ (50) wp.org #13 ↓2 1 too low 13 Toofan Stage-to-Live Sync 10+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 MWB HubSpot for WooCommerce – CRM, Abandoned Cart, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation & Analytics 6K+ · 3.8★ (55) wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15 Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #5 ↓1 10 too high 16 TrustedSite 10K+ · 4.2★ (26) wp.org #16 ↓2 17 EmailKit – Email Customizer for WooCommerce & WP 70K+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #22 ↓2 5 too low 18 Theater for WordPress 600+ · 4.9★ (25) wp.org #21 ↓4 3 too low 19 AI 60K+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #19 20 Timeline Module for Divi 3K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 WooCommerce Analytics 20K+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #10 ↓2 11 too high 22 HelloAsso 4K+ · 3.6★ (5) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Conekta Payment Gateway 2K+ · 3.5★ (6) wp.org #23 ↓4 24 Animation Builder – An interface for adding scroll-triggered animations 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓2 7 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.