Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “template controller”

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 “template controller”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

Sticky Elementor – Sticky Header, Menu Color After Sticky, Logo Swap & Back to Top Button shows at wp.org #10 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 600+ 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.

Buried gem

Seraphinite Accelerator places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 476 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #1 2 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #2 3 ShopEngine – All-in-One Elementor WooCommerce Builder with eCommerce Templates & Woo Widgets 100K+ · 4.6★ (212) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 The Plus Addons for Elementor – Mega Menu, Header Footer, Post Grid, AI Widgets & Templates 100K+ · 4.6★ (388) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Geo Controller – Geolocation & Geotargeting 1K+ · 4.4★ (31) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1397) wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too low 7 GDPR 10K+ · 4.3★ (58) wp.org #7 8 Seraphinite Accelerator 50K+ · 4.8★ (476) wp.org #12 ↑4 4 too low 9 SchedulePress – Auto Post & Publish, Auto Social Share, Schedule Posts with Editorial Calendar & Missed Schedule Post Publisher 10K+ · 4.6★ (201) wp.org #13 ↑2 4 too low 10 Kirki – Freeform Page Builder, Website Builder & Customizer 400K+ · 4.5★ (81) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11 GetGenie – AI SEO Assistant & Content Writer with Keyword Research, AEO & GEO 70K+ · 4.8★ (119) wp.org #11 ↓1 12 WDesignKit – AI Templates, Widget Builder & MCP Workflow 30K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #5 7 too high 13 BetterDocs – AI Documentation, Knowledge Base, MCP Server, Docs, Wikis, FAQ & Chatbot 30K+ · 4.8★ (515) wp.org #18 ↓6 5 too low 14 My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #16 ↓3 2 too low 15 Podcast Player – Your Podcasting Companion 10K+ · 4.8★ (113) wp.org #22 ↑1 7 too low 16 Greenshift – animation and page builder blocks 70K+ · 4.8★ (107) wp.org #17 ↑1 1 too low 17 Advanced Views – Display Framework – Gutenberg/Elementor/Shortcode 3K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #24 7 too low 18 EAN Barcode Generator for WooCommerce: UPC, ISBN & GTIN Inventory 10K+ · 4.9★ (56) wp.org #21 ↑1 3 too low 19 Back Button Widget 4K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #15 ↑2 4 too high 20 Sticky Elementor – Sticky Header, Menu Color After Sticky, Logo Swap & Back to Top Button 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑1 10 too high 21 SuperFrete 1K+ · 3.8★ (4) wp.org #14 7 too high 22 Anyway Feedback 100+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #23 ↓2 1 too low 23 rtCarousel – Flexible Carousel & Slider Block for Images, Videos, Testimonials & More 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 Manago AI & Leadoo AI 900+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #20 4 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.