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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sync post”

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 “sync post”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 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

CiviCRM Member Sync shows at wp.org #7 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 5038 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296) wp.org #1 2 Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #2 3 The Post Grid – Shortcode, Gutenberg Blocks and Elementor Addon for Post Grid 100K+ · 4.8★ (265) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Sync Post With Other Site 3K+ · 3.9★ (29) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520) wp.org #12 ↓2 7 too low 6 FlexTable – Data Table Sync with Google Sheets 3K+ · 4.6★ (35) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Contextual Related Posts 50K+ · 4.8★ (201) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Air WP Sync – Airtable to WordPress 1K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Photo Engine (Media Organizer & Lightroom) 2K+ · 4.9★ (210) wp.org #17 8 too low 10 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) wp.org #23 ↓1 13 too low 11 Post to Google My Business (Google Business Profile) 10K+ · 4.9★ (159) wp.org #18 7 too low 12 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 Stock Sync for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 WP Multisite User Sync/Unsync 600+ · 4.2★ (18) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 CiviCRM Member Sync 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 WP Sync for Notion – Notion to WordPress 1K+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #9 8 too high 18 Event Post 1K+ · 4.3★ (35) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Kadence Central – Site Management, Backups, Security, and Reporting 30K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #10 ↑1 9 too high 20 CiviCRM Profile Sync 500+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 ↑1 9 too high 21 Sync Master Sheet – Product Sync with Google Sheet for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #16 5 too high 22 Post Export Import with Media 1K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 Default Post Author 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Automatic Gallery And Featured Image Sync 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓1 3 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.