Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “system information”

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 “system information”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

atec System Info shows at wp.org #10 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 11 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

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 5039 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Masteriyo LMS – LMS Course Builder, Quizzes & Certificates 6K+ · 4.8★ (184) wp.org #1 2 WP Booking System – Booking Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (344) wp.org #2 3 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #5 ↑2 2 too low 4 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #3 ↑2 1 too high 5 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 Salon Booking System – Appointment Booking for Salons, Barbershops & Spas 2K+ · 4.4★ (187) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #11 ↑10 4 too low 8 Pinpoint Booking System – Legacy version 2K+ · 3.6★ (185) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445) wp.org #14 ↑3 5 too low 10 Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking System – Bookly 60K+ · 4.4★ (586) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too low 11 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #17 ↑2 6 too low 12 Disqus Comment System 30K+ · 2.7★ (219) wp.org #7 ↑3 5 too high 13 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #21 8 too low 14 SupportCandy – AI Customer Support Ticket System & Live Chatbot Agent 10K+ · 4.9★ (289) wp.org #23 9 too low 15 GD Rating System 1K+ · 4.3★ (24) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Domain Mapping System | Create Microsites with Multiple Alias Domains (multisite optional) 2K+ · 4.5★ (56) wp.org #16 17 Fluent Support – Helpdesk & Customer Support Ticket System 10K+ · 4.6★ (69) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Comments – GraphComment | AI-Moderated Comment System 400+ · 4.7★ (30) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 VikRentCar Car Rental Management System 4K+ · 4.8★ (30) wp.org #24 ↓1 5 too low 20 WP-CRM System – Manage Clients and Projects 700+ · 3.9★ (15) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 atec System Info 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 ↑2 11 too high 22 Advanced Product Information for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Booking System Trafft 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #12 ↑2 11 too high 24 Library Management System 200+ · 4.4★ (14) 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.