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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “starter template”

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 “starter template”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Blocks Starter Templates – Block Templates & Patterns shows at wp.org #9 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Twentig Supercharged Block Editor – Blocks, Patterns, Starter Sites, Portfolio places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 171 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Starter Templates: AI-Powered Website Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 1M+ · 4.9★ (4755) wp.org #1 2 Starter Templates & Sites Pack by ThemeGrill 70K+ · 4.7★ (197) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 Kadence Starter Templates — Predesigned Website Templates 200K+ · 4.3★ (19) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #10 ↑3 6 too low 5 Starter Sites & Templates by Neve 100K+ · 4.7★ (77) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Responsive Starter Templates – Elementor Templates & Starter Sites 10K+ · 4.5★ (39) wp.org #6 7 Gutenverse – WordPress Blocks, Page Builder & Site Editor 20K+ · 4.9★ (190) wp.org #19 ↓2 12 too low 8 Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) wp.org #18 10 too low 9 Twentig Supercharged Block Editor – Blocks, Patterns, Starter Sites, Portfolio 20K+ · 4.9★ (171) wp.org #23 ↓11 14 too low 10 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #20 ↑1 10 too low 11 Gutenify – Visual Site Builder Blocks & Starter Templates 5K+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 WPZOOM Addons for Elementor – Starter Templates & Widgets 20K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 ↓1 8 too high 13 affiliate-toolkit – Multi-Network Affiliate & Amazon Product Display 2K+ · 4.5★ (22) wp.org #21 8 too low 14 TemplateSpare – 1000+ WordPress Starter Templates & Full Site Migration Tool | 1-Click Import/Export & No-Code Builder 10K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15 Spexo Addons for Elementor – Elementor Widgets, Mega Menu, Popup Builder, Template Kits and Starter Templates for Elementor 6K+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #11 ↓2 4 too high 16 Template Kit – Import 400K+ · 3.4★ (16) wp.org #16 17 Astra Widgets 200K+ · 3.9★ (17) wp.org #24 ↓1 7 too low 18 Inspiro Starter Sites – 20+ Free Demo Templates for Gutenberg & Elementor 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 13 too high 19 BlockFlow – FSE Blocks, Site Builder & Starter Templates 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↓2 3 too low 20 S Starter Templates by Gradient Themes 2K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too high 21 Ansar Import – Starter Sites & Template Library 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↑8 7 too high 22 Starter Sites 900+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too high 23 Blocks Starter Templates – Block Templates & Patterns 1K+ · 3.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↑6 14 too high 24 aThemes Starter Sites 30K+ · 2.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓2 11 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.