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

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 “stylization”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 16. 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

QODE Variation Swatches for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #9 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 1K+ 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 Grid/List View for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.4★ (50) wp.org #1 2 JetWidgets For Elementor 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #2 3 FlatPM – Ad Manager, AdSense and Custom Code 10K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #3 4 Advanced Sermons 1K+ · 4.7★ (22) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 JetSticky For Elementor 20K+ · 3.7★ (18) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 D DMD Infinite Scroll 50+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 QODE Quick View for WooCommerce 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 JetGridBuilder — Grid Builder for Elementor and Gutenberg 4K+ · 2.8★ (5) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 QODE Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 QODE Compare for WooCommerce 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 Cubixsol Multi AI Image Generator 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 QODE Product Bundles for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 AINow — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 14 SendSquared – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Popup & Post Emailer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too low 15 P P-Login 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too low 16 Display Event Location for The Events Calendar 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 4 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.