wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tables”
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 “tables”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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
TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables shows at wp.org #9 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 3K+ 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
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 4132 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.
TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625)
wp.org #1 2 
Ninja Tables – Easy Data Table Builder 70K+ · 4.6★ (472)
wp.org #2 3 
wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449)
wp.org #3 4 
Data Tables Generator by Supsystic – Excel-like, WooCommerce & Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.7★ (497)
wp.org #4 ↑4 5 
Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Make Tables Responsive 6K+ · 5.0★ (34)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #8 ↑3 1 too low 8 
WP Table Builder – Drag & Drop Table Builder 50K+ · 4.8★ (681)
wp.org #12 4 too low 9 
Pricing Table WordPress Plugin – Easy Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.3★ (133)
wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too high 10 
Visualizer – Tables & Charts Manager with Built-in AI Generator 20K+ · 4.4★ (225)
wp.org #10 ↓1 11 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #17 ↓3 6 too low 12 
Easy Table of Contents 600K+ · 4.4★ (221)
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #20 7 too low 14 
Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping 100K+ · 4.9★ (706)
wp.org #22 ↓6 8 too low 15 
Table Field Add-on for ACF and SCF 50K+ · 4.9★ (60)
wp.org #13 2 too high 16 
Pricing Table by Supsystic – Responsive Pricing Plans & Comparison Tables 10K+ · 4.1★ (288)
wp.org #15 ↑6 1 too high 17 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #24 ↓4 7 too low 18 
SimpleTOC – Table of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.9★ (77)
wp.org #19 1 too low 19 
Flexible Table Block 40K+ · 4.9★ (34)
wp.org #18 1 too high 20 
WRC Pricing Tables – Responsive CSS3 Pricing Tables 1K+ · 4.2★ (36)
wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too high 21 
Active Woot Products Tables for WooCommerce. 100% FREE 1K+ · 4.8★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too high 22 TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓2 13 too high 23 
Heroic Table of Contents 5K+ · 4.7★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 24 
Superb Table (SEO Optimized Tables With Schema) 2K+ · 3.6★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓4 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.