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

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 “str”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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 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

Modern Hotel Booking — Direct Booking Engine, Availability Calendar & Vacation Rental PMS shows at wp.org #5 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools places #5 on merit, 4.6★ from 535 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Kama Thumbnail 8K+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #1 2 BedBooking – Reservation System and Booking Calendar 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #2 3 WPBot – AI ChatBot for Live Support, Lead Generation, WordPress Automation, AI Services 5K+ · 4.7★ (124) wp.org #11 8 too low 4 A ACF Post-2-Post 3K+ · 5.0★ (39) wp.org #13 9 too low 5 Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools 30K+ · 4.6★ (535) wp.org #17 12 too low 6 Subscription for WooCommerce by Flexi Subscription 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Exchange Rates 800+ · 4.2★ (10) wp.org #16 9 too low 8 Swift Menu Duplicator 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 ↑4 4 too high 9 Stick My Header for Astra 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #14 5 too low 10 VereinOnline.org 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓2 4 too high 11 SpendeOnline.org 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too high 12 Book It Fast — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Forms with chart from VAB 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 2 too low 14 K Kontinua — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 Modern Hotel Booking — Direct Booking Engine, Availability Calendar & Vacation Rental PMS 10+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #5 ↑1 10 too high 16 artidomo Print on Demand 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↓2 9 too high 17 LeaseFox — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 5 too high 18 ZMPlugin 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Selective Thumbnail Regenerator 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 Ersaal SMS Gateway — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 LC Anti-Spam Registration — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 [Niewspierana wersja – sprawdź nową] epaka.pl – Integracja z WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 Sravnitel 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 R Roller 10+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.