wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “strip html”

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 “strip html”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

HTML Page Publisher shows at wp.org #4 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 17 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

AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 434 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

HTML Forms – Simple WordPress Forms Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (57) wp.org #1 2

HTML Editor Syntax Highlighter 60K+ · 4.4★ (110) wp.org #2 3 A Allow HTML in Category Descriptions 8K+ · 5.0★ (41) wp.org #3 4

Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #6 2 too low 5

WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #10 5 too low 6

Postie 10K+ · 4.7★ (139) not PHP-current wp.org #7 1 too low 7

WP Accessibility 60K+ · 4.8★ (68) wp.org #8 1 too low 8

OMGF | GDPR/DSGVO Compliant, Faster Google Fonts. Easy. 300K+ · 4.7★ (213) wp.org #12 4 too low 9 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89) wp.org #11 2 too low 10

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #16 6 too low 11

AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel 60K+ · 4.7★ (434) wp.org #19 8 too low 12

FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) not PHP-current wp.org #17 5 too low 13

Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #18 5 too low 14

Simply Static – The Static Site Generator 30K+ · 4.5★ (195) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 R Raw HTML 10K+ · 4.3★ (33) wp.org #13 2 too high 16

Protect schema.org markup in HTML editor 700+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #5 11 too high 17

Post to Google My Business (Google Business Profile) 10K+ · 4.9★ (159) not PHP-current wp.org #24 7 too low 18

One User Avatar | User Profile Picture 100K+ · 4.7★ (41) wp.org #21 3 too low 19

WP Hide & Security Enhancer 50K+ · 4.3★ (275) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #23 4 too low 20

Featherweight 10K+ · 4.1★ (45) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 6 too high 21

HTML Page Publisher 500+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #4 17 too high 22

LWS Optimize – All-in-One Speed Booster & Cache Tools 20K+ · 4.6★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too high 23

PDF Forms Filler for CF7 3K+ · 4.8★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #22 1 too high 24

Asta HTML Minifier 100+ · 4.5★ (2) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #9 15 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.