wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “start date”
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 “start date”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 4 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
Date Time Picker for WPForms shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 14387 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Persian Date 2K+ · 4.5★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #3 4 
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1526)
wp.org #14 10 too low 5 
Delivery & Pickup Date Time for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (282) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 5 too low 6 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #23 ↓1 17 too low 7 
Order Delivery Date And Time 1K+ · 4.6★ (19) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #19 11 too low 9 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #18 ↓1 9 too low 10 
Simply Schedule Appointments 50K+ · 5.0★ (155)
wp.org #24 14 too low 11 
PI Delivery & Pickup Date Time for WooCommerce 400+ · 4.8★ (90) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 
Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) not PHP-current
wp.org #21 ↓2 9 too low 13 
Availability Datepicker – Booking Calendar for Contact Form 7 – Input WP 10K+ · 4.1★ (42)
wp.org #15 2 too low 14 
Date Time Picker for Contact Form 7 20K+ · 3.3★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↑1 6 too high 15 
First payment date for WooCommerce Subscriptions 400+ · 4.7★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 6 too high 16 
EventPrime – Events Calendar, Bookings, Tickets & AI 7K+ · 4.4★ (85) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 6 too low 17 
Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #12 5 too high 18 
Advanced Datepicker – Restrict Date for Elementor Forms 800+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #6 12 too high 19 Date Time Picker for WPForms 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #5 14 too high 20 
Restrict Dates Add-On for Gravity Forms 500+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #16 4 too high 21 
Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for Contact Form 7 500+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #7 14 too high 22 
Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for WPForms 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 11 too high 23 
Selfish Fresh Start 20+ · 4.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #20 3 too high 24 
Order Delivery Date Time & Pickup for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↑1 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.