wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “status control”
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 “status control”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 16 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
Advanced Custom Order Status for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #12 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 500+ 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
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 8706 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Content Control – The Ultimate Content Restriction Solution! Restrict Content, Create Conditional Blocks & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (575)
wp.org #3 2 too low 2 
Custom Order Status Manager for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.7★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 3 
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #8 ↑4 5 too low 4 
Schedule Post Changes With PublishPress Future: Unpublish, Delete, Change Status, Trash, Change Categories 100K+ · 4.5★ (172)
wp.org #6 ↓3 2 too low 5 
Order Status Control for WooCommerce 4K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #1 4 too high 6 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #9 ↓3 3 too low 7 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706)
wp.org #20 ↑1 13 too low 8 
All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #15 ↓2 7 too low 9 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #18 ↓3 9 too low 10 
bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343)
wp.org #17 ↓3 7 too low 11 
Extended Post Status 1K+ · 4.5★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↓2 4 too high 12 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current
wp.org #23 11 too low 13 
Menu Visibility Control 700+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↑4 9 too high 14 
Dynamic Front-End Heartbeat Control 1K+ · 4.8★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓3 4 too high 15 
Mediavine Control Panel 10K+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↓1 10 too high 16 
PublishPress Permissions: Access Control, Content Permissions, User Access 10K+ · 4.3★ (66)
wp.org #22 ↓1 6 too low 17 
VigIA – AI Visibility, Analytics & Control 2K+ · 5.0★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too high 18 
Show Stock Status for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 ↓2 5 too high 19 
Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin 3K+ · 4.6★ (73)
wp.org #24 5 too low 20 
Widget Visibility Control 200+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑5 9 too high 21 
Order Status History for WooCommerce 900+ · 5.0★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓3 22 
Block Control 80+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓5 8 too high 23 Advanced Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓2 11 too high 24 
Display Stock Status For WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.