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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tab change”

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 “tab change”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 3 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

Floating Side Tab shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) places #10 on merit, 5.0★ from 423 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too low 2 Custom Product Tabs for WooCommerce & WordPress Tabs Builder – Smart Tabs 10K+ · 4.9★ (134) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Simple Side Tab 10K+ · 4.8★ (22) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 External Product New Tab for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.8★ (35) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #16 ↓1 9 too low 8 Gutena Tabs 6K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 External Links in New Window / New Tab 30K+ · 4.5★ (77) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #24 ↓3 14 too low 11 All In One Login 60K+ · 3.6★ (35) wp.org #8 ↑2 3 too high 12 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #19 ↓2 7 too low 13 WPB Custom Tab Manager for WooCommerce – Add, Edit & Reorder Tabs 500+ · 4.5★ (14) wp.org #11 2 too high 14 E Expand Tabs for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (27) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 Product Tabs Manager for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 Plethora Tabs + Accordions 2K+ · 4.9★ (8) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 Browser Tab Title Reminder 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 ↓2 7 too high 18 YITH WooCommerce Tab Manager 3K+ · 3.0★ (16) wp.org #9 9 too high 19 Floating Side Tab 600+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 14 too high 20 Easy Tabs Block – Smart, Lightweight & Responsive Tabs for the Block Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↓1 21 U Ultimate Member Custom Tab Builder Lite 500+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 Change Proceed To Checkout Text 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too high 23 Responsive Tabs For Elementor 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Tabs Block – Responsive Gutenberg Tabs for Block Editor 700+ · 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.