wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “task list”

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 “task list”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

LazyTasks – Project & Task Management with Collaboration, Kanban and Gantt Chart shows at wp.org #6 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 90+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini places #11 on merit, 4.9★ from 874 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #1 2

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #2 3

Project Manager – AI Powered Project Management, Task Management, Kanban Board & Time Tracker 5K+ · 3.8★ (187) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4

Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current wp.org #5 ↓2 1 too low 5

WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (195) wp.org #8 3 too low 6

Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7

Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #14 7 too low 8

Dashboard To-Do List 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #3 ↑1 5 too high 9

Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373) wp.org #11 2 too low 10

FluentBoards – Project Management, Task Management, Goal Tracking, Kanban Board, and, Team Collaboration 6K+ · 5.0★ (25) wp.org #7 3 too high 11

AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874) wp.org #20 9 too low 12

WP Webhooks – Automate repetitive tasks by creating powerful automation workflows directly within WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (55) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13

Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259) wp.org #18 5 too low 14

WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #22 ↓2 8 too low 15

Shortcodes Ultimate – Content Elements 400K+ · 4.9★ (5925) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16

Advanced Editor Tools 1M+ · 4.5★ (354) wp.org #15 1 too high 17

WP Crontrol 300K+ · 4.4★ (167) wp.org #17 18

BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current wp.org #16 2 too high 19

Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154) wp.org #23 ↓2 4 too low 20

LazyTasks – Project & Task Management with Collaboration, Kanban and Gantt Chart 90+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #6 14 too high 21

OttoKit: All-in-One Automation Platform 90K+ · 4.9★ (124) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #21 ↓2 22

Taskbuilder – Project Management & Task Management Tool With Kanban Board 700+ · 4.7★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #13 9 too high 23

Sensei LMS – Online Courses, Quizzes, & Learning 9K+ · 3.5★ (40) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #24 ↓1 1 too low 24

Sortable Dashboard To-Do List 80+ · 4.5★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #12 12 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.