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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “the write practice”

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 “the write practice”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

Weather Write shows at wp.org #3 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 16 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.

Buried gem

WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 4228 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #1 ↑2 2 Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005) wp.org #2 ↑2 3 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708) wp.org #4 ↓3 1 too low 4 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too low 5 Quiz Maker by AYS 20K+ · 4.9★ (601) wp.org #8 ↑10 3 too low 6 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) wp.org #7 ↑1 8 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #17 ↑2 9 too low 9 Joinchat – Enhanced “click to chat” 700K+ · 4.7★ (189) wp.org #11 ↓4 2 too low 10 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112) wp.org #13 ↓2 2 too low 12 ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics 80K+ · 3.6★ (138) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 WP ULike – Like Buttons, Voting & Engagement Analytics 60K+ · 4.8★ (283) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.9★ (79) wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too low 15 SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134) wp.org #22 7 too low 16 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 Plugin Check (PCP) 10K+ · 4.5★ (36) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Remote Website Management by Watchful 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too high 19 Weather Write 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 ↓1 16 too high 20 Auto Focus Keyword for SEO 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 ↓1 14 too high 21 All In One Redirection 1K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Servebolt Optimizer 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 MAIO – ChatGPT SEO Tracking & AI Search Optimization 90+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Hack The SEO – MCP Server for Claude, AI Bot Tracker, llms.txt, GEO Score & Cannibalization 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #19 ↓2 5 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.