wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sync user”
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 user”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 of the top 20. 4 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
User Sync shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 143 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.
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #1 2 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #2 3 
User Registration & Membership – Free & Paid Memberships, Subscriptions, Content Restriction, User Profile, Custom User Registration & Login Builder 50K+ · 4.8★ (832)
wp.org #3 4 
WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 5 
Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259)
wp.org #8 ↓2 3 too low 6 
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission 20K+ · 4.1★ (537) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↑6 1 too high 7 
WP Remote Users Sync 6K+ · 4.9★ (73) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↑12 1 too high 8 
WPFront User Role Editor 30K+ · 4.5★ (65)
wp.org #12 4 too low 9 
WP Multisite User Sync/Unsync 600+ · 4.2★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too high 10 
ProfilePress – Paid Membership, Online Courses (LMS), Ecommerce, User Registration & Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content 100K+ · 3.1★ (938) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↓3 11 
Media Cloud Sync 1K+ · 4.9★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #23 ↓4 11 too low 13 
FlexTable – Data Table Sync with Google Sheets 3K+ · 4.6★ (35)
wp.org #14 ↑10 1 too low 14 
User Private Files – Secure File Sharing and Client Portal Plugin 1K+ · 4.4★ (57)
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
Sync Post With Other Site 3K+ · 3.9★ (29)
wp.org #16 1 too low 16 
Air WP Sync – Airtable to WordPress 1K+ · 4.8★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 
Product Visibility by User Role for WooCommerce 6K+ · 3.8★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
SCIM User Sync/Provisioning 200+ · 5.0★ (6) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 
CiviCRM Member Sync 800+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #15 4 too high 20 
Stock Sync for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 21 
User Sync for Azure AD / Azure B2C 70+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Kadence Central – Site Management, Backups, Security, and Reporting 30K+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑1 1 too high 23 
CiviCRM Profile Sync 500+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24 User Sync 200+ · 3.0★ (2) not PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 13 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.