wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tables block”

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 block”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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

Table Of Contents Block shows at wp.org #7 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

PublishPress Blocks – Block Controls, Block Visibility, Block Permissions places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 204 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

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 #3 ↓1 1 too low 3

Flexible Table Block 40K+ · 4.9★ (34) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4

Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint wp.org #4 5

Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187) wp.org #5 6

wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449) wp.org #8 ↓2 2 too low 7

Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint wp.org #6 ↑6 1 too high 8

Data Tables Generator by Supsystic – Excel-like, WooCommerce & Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.7★ (497) wp.org #12 ↑9 4 too low 9

SimpleTOC – Table of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.9★ (77) wp.org #10 ↑13 1 too low 10

Pricing Table WordPress Plugin – Easy Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.3★ (133) wp.org #9 1 too high 11

Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE 300K+ · 4.7★ (251) heavy footprint wp.org #11 ↓3 12

PublishPress Blocks – Block Controls, Block Visibility, Block Permissions 20K+ · 4.7★ (204) wp.org #19 7 too low 13

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #22 ↓2 9 too low 14

Make Tables Responsive 6K+ · 5.0★ (34) wp.org #13 ↓2 1 too high 15

Easy Table of Contents 600K+ · 4.4★ (221) wp.org #18 ↓1 3 too low 16

Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) heavy footprint wp.org #23 7 too low 17

Tableberg – Simple Gutenberg Table Block 4K+ · 4.8★ (46) wp.org #17 ↓1 18

Table Field Add-on for ACF and SCF 50K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #21 3 too low 19

Nexter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder & AI Website Builder 9K+ · 4.8★ (90) heavy footprint wp.org #20 1 too low 20

Table Of Contents Block 10K+ · 4.3★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #7 13 too high 21

Sticky Block for Gutenberg Editor 7K+ · 4.6★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22

TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓5 7 too high 23

Price Table Block 800+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #14 9 too high 24

VK Block Patterns 100K+ · 5.0★ (2) host-installed base thin reviews wp.org #16 ↑2 8 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.