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← Rankings

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

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 default”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Custom Template for LearnDash shows at wp.org #10 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Email Templates Customizer and Designer for WordPress and WooCommerce places #9 on merit, 4.6★ from 133 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. 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 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #4 ↑2 1 too low 4 Show Current Template 100K+ · 5.0★ (71) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Starter Templates: AI-Powered Website Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 1M+ · 4.9★ (4755) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387) wp.org #12 4 too low 9 Email Templates Customizer and Designer for WordPress and WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (133) wp.org #15 ↓1 6 too low 10 Mailonix – Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (105) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Custom Field Template 30K+ · 4.0★ (24) wp.org #8 ↓1 3 too high 12 MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) wp.org #13 ↓3 1 too low 13 ShopEngine – All-in-One Elementor WooCommerce Builder with eCommerce Templates & Woo Widgets 100K+ · 4.6★ (212) wp.org #21 ↑1 8 too low 14 Starter Templates & Sites Pack by ThemeGrill 70K+ · 4.7★ (197) wp.org #22 ↑2 8 too low 15 Events Shortcodes For The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (214) wp.org #20 ↓3 5 too low 16 Kadence Starter Templates — Predesigned Website Templates 200K+ · 4.3★ (19) wp.org #11 ↑2 5 too high 17 WP Email Template 2K+ · 3.1★ (35) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 WDesignKit – AI Templates, Widget Builder & MCP Workflow 30K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #24 6 too low 19 SKT Templates – 100% Free Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 20K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #14 ↑1 5 too high 20 Custom Template for LearnDash 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #10 ↑1 10 too high 21 C Contact Form 7: Accessible Defaults 5K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 Custom Template for LifterLMS 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too high 23 WPZOOM Addons for Elementor – Starter Templates & Widgets 20K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too high 24 Setup Default Featured Image 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↑1 6 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.