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

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 “stone”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 5 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

Hopelessly Sensible: Simple Security Hardening shows at wp.org #9 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 10+ 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Markup by Attribute for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.5★ (28) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Simple Comment Editing 2K+ · 4.8★ (55) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Ajaxify Comments – Ajax and Lazy Loading Comments 3K+ · 4.8★ (91) wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 Stone para WooCommerce 4K+ · 2.5★ (47) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6 YITH Color and Label Variations for WooCommerce 9K+ · 3.6★ (22) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Meow Analytics (Google Analytics) 400+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too low 8 Ultimate Multisite – WordPress Multisite SaaS & WaaS Platform 90+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 ITS Jewellery Price Plugin 20+ · 4.5★ (16) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Blockons – Gutenberg blocks for WordPress and WooCommerce websites 600+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #15 ↓2 5 too low 11 Move Addons for Elementor 2K+ · 4.0★ (6) wp.org #14 ↓2 3 too low 12 SD AI Agent 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 DC Login Designer 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14 Hopelessly Sensible: Simple Security Hardening 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 5 too high 15 Keyideas Jewelry Customizer – Diamond Ring Builder & Engagement Rings for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 Keyideas Jewelry Filter & Search — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓2 17 Ultimate AI Connector for Compatible Endpoints 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓2 1 too low 18 Bookingor – Booking System and Appointment Booking Calendar, Meeting Scheduling & WooCommerce 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too high 19 S Superdav AI Language Packs 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓3 3 too low 20 Universal Unit Converter: Convert Length, Weight, Temperature, Speed, and Time 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 3 too low 21 Rameshc Metal Price Manager for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 gurado WebConnect – Gift Card & Voucher Shop for WordPress 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 Mawu Dark Mode for the Admin Dashboard, Editor & Website 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 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.