wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sub title”
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 “sub title”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
List Sub Pages shows at wp.org #4 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP Reset places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 1014 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #1 2 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
Max Mega Menu 300K+ · 4.8★ (882)
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1526)
wp.org #8 4 too low 5 
Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187)
wp.org #5 6 
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134)
wp.org #6 ↑6 7 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #10 3 too low 8 
Easy Table of Contents 600K+ · 4.4★ (221)
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 
Translate WordPress – Google Language Translator 100K+ · 4.7★ (620)
wp.org #13 4 too low 10 WP Reset 300K+ · 4.8★ (1014)
wp.org #15 5 too low 11 
Responsive Menu – Mobile Menu & Hamburger Menu Builder 70K+ · 4.5★ (576)
wp.org #14 3 too low 12 
Options for Twenty Twenty-One 6K+ · 4.9★ (64)
wp.org #9 ↓2 3 too high 13 
Custom Permalinks 100K+ · 4.1★ (116)
wp.org #11 ↓2 2 too high 14 
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 300K+ · 4.5★ (830)
wp.org #19 ↑1 5 too low 15 
Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121)
wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too low 16 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89)
wp.org #18 ↑1 2 too low 17 
Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97)
wp.org #20 ↓4 3 too low 18 
Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333)
wp.org #23 5 too low 19 
Meta Field Block – Display Custom Fields for ACF, Meta Box and More 10K+ · 5.0★ (57)
wp.org #24 5 too low 20 
Modern Image Formats 100K+ · 3.6★ (26)
wp.org #12 ↓1 8 too high 21 List Sub Pages 400+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #4 17 too high 22 
Intranet & Private Site – All-In-One Intranet 3K+ · 5.0★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too high 23 
Advanced Post Block – Display Your Posts Exactly How You Want 10K+ · 4.2★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 
HT Form Widget for Elementor and WPForms 2K+ · 4.0★ (1) thin reviews
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.