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

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

Display During Conditional Shortcode shows at wp.org #4 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Active Directory Integration / LDAP Integration places #4 on merit, 4.9★ from 211 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 signals wp.org

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #1 2

Location Weather – WordPress Weather Forecast, Air Quality & Weather Widget 10K+ · 4.5★ (103) wp.org #2 3

WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #3 4

Active Directory Integration / LDAP Integration 4K+ · 4.9★ (211) wp.org #8 4 too low 5

Advanced Custom Stock Status 8K+ · 4.2★ (37) wp.org #5 6

Event Post 1K+ · 4.3★ (35) wp.org #7 1 too low 7

EZ Horoscope Professional 300+ · 4.8★ (12) thin reviews wp.org #6 1 too high 8

Advanced coupon for WooCommerce 800+ · 5.0★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9

Active Directory/LDAP Integration for Cloud & Shared Hosting Platforms 40+ · 4.9★ (39) wp.org #14 ↓1 5 too low 10

Display During Conditional Shortcode 200+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #4 6 too high 11

Staff/Employee Business Directory for Active Directory 10+ · 5.0★ (15) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12

Simple Location 300+ · 4.6★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #13 1 too low 13

XTX Integration for Netatmo 10+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14

Sun Form Builder — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15 S SolarDawn Sunrise & Sunset Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #11 4 too high 16

Onyx Dark Mode Switcher 300+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #12 5 too high 18

Arianne G Esotools 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19

SunnyTracker Widgets — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↓1 20

Media Attachment Bulk Move — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓1 21

Easy Dark Theme for Astra 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓1 22 A Astrology Suite for FreeAstroAPI 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #22 23

VedicAstroAPI 200+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↓2 24

Five Prayer 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews 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.