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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “string locator”

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 “string locator”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

IP Locator shows at wp.org #2 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 500+ 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.

Buried gem

MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet places #3 on merit, 4.7★ from 147 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 String locator 100K+ · 4.6★ (125) wp.org #1 2 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #8 5 too low 4 WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) wp.org #4 5 Custom WP Store Locator 300+ · 4.6★ (14) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 GEO my WP 3K+ · 4.6★ (139) wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #13 ↓1 5 too low 9 Locatoraid Store Locator 1K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 WP Directory Kit 2K+ · 4.9★ (35) wp.org #19 9 too low 11 IP Locator 500+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #2 9 too high 12 Multi Location Product & Inventory Management for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #23 11 too low 13 SEO'n'AI – Image Locator & Find Unused Images 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 6 too high 14 Events Calendar for GeoDirectory 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Partner Map Locator 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↑4 3 too high 16 Holyprof Source Locator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too high 17 StoreRocket Store Locator – Map & Store Finder 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Cliq Store Locator — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 WPFalcons String Finder & Debug Toolkit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 W Webshipper – Automated Shipping 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 3 too high 21 StoreLo – Store Locator Widget with Google Maps — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 Kashida Branch Locator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Lokilo – Store Locator for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 Source Lens – Code Finder 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 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.