wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “text filtering”
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 “text filtering”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20.
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
Text Replace – Find and Replace WordPress Strings shows at wp.org #5 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 18 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Variation Swatches for WooCommerce places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 926 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.
Text To Speech TTS Accessibility 4K+ · 4.8★ (93)
wp.org #1 2 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520)
wp.org #2 3 
Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154)
wp.org #3 4 
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ · 4.3★ (4342)
wp.org #7 3 too low 5 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #6 ↓1 7 
FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995)
wp.org #11 4 too low 8 
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872)
wp.org #12 4 too low 9 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 300K+ · 4.8★ (926)
wp.org #15 ↑2 6 too low 10 
NinjaFirewall (WP Edition) – Advanced Security Plugin and Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (220)
wp.org #13 ↑10 3 too low 11 
Product Filter for WooCommerce by WBW 50K+ · 4.8★ (325)
wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too low 12 
Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605)
wp.org #10 2 too high 13 
Customer Reviews for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (1539)
wp.org #22 9 too low 14 
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406)
wp.org #18 ↑2 4 too low 15 
PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322)
wp.org #23 8 too low 16 
Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525)
wp.org #20 ↓1 4 too low 17 
Text to Speech – TTSWP 200+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↑2 13 too high 18 
Category AJAX Filter – Posts, Custom Post Types & Product Filter 6K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too high 19 
HUSKY – Products Filter for WooCommerce Professional. MCP is onboard 80K+ · 4.6★ (337)
wp.org #21 ↑3 2 too low 20 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #19 ↓3 1 too high 21 
ImgSEO – AI Image Alt Text Generator & Image SEO Tools 400+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #9 12 too high 22 
WP Accessibility 60K+ · 4.8★ (68)
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 Text Replace – Find and Replace WordPress Strings 300+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↓1 18 too high 24 
Filikod – Alt Text Checker & Bulk Image Alt Text Editor 200+ · 5.0★ (5) 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.