wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tag2”
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 “tag2”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 7 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
WP Pinboard shows at wp.org #14 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 5 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
CodePeople Post Map for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.2★ (31)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
Microposts – Microblogging post type 90+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Include Mastodon Feed 800+ · 5.0★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 
e2payments-wp Payment for Woocommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #4 5 T TR Post Slider Widget 100+ · 4.6★ (10) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #11 6 too low 6 P Posts By Tag 1K+ · 3.8★ (15) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 4 too low 7 
Sirve – Simple Directory Listing 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #3 4 too high 8 E eSauti — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 
Jinx Fast-Cache — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #6 3 too high 10 N NextGen NivoSlider 200+ · 3.5★ (8) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #21 11 too low 11 D Delete Post 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #9 2 too high 12 
Mamba Cache for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #8 4 too high 13 J JSON REST API (WP API) Categories and Tags 30+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 3 too low 14 J JJ NextGen JQuery Slider 700+ · 4.3★ (4) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #23 9 too low 15 
Shortcode Directives — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 2 too high 16 
Quick Bulk Tags Creator 30+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 4 too high 17 W WPRestApiExtensions — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 18 W WPRestCache — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 19 W WP Pinboard 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 5 too high 20 M MultiTags 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 5 too high 21 P Post List 200+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too low 22 W WParty 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #19 3 too high 23 T Tag Sticky Post 90+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #20 3 too high 24 T TDO Tag Fixes 80+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #24 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.