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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “theme overview”

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

Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme shows at wp.org #4 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 80K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.1★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #1 2 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #2 3 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #3 4 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1917) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #8 ↑8 1 too low 8 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 Query Monitor 200K+ · 4.9★ (470) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too low 10 Loco Translate 1M+ · 4.8★ (453) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too low 12 Dokan: AI Powered WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplace Solution – Build Your Own Amazon, eBay, Etsy 30K+ · 4.6★ (769) wp.org #17 ↑2 5 too low 13 CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin by NiteoThemes 200K+ · 4.7★ (326) wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too low 14 InfiniteWP Client 200K+ · 4.4★ (177) wp.org #14 ↓6 15 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758) wp.org #22 5 too low 18 Premium Portfolio Features for Phlox theme 30K+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #11 7 too high 19 Easy MCP AI – Connect Claude to WordPress: MCP Server for ChatGPT & AI Agents 30K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme 80K+ · 2.1★ (7) wp.org #4 16 too high 21 Dynamic Header & Navigation for Block Themes 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Components Overview for Flynt 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 Mystery Themes Demo Importer 6K+ · 2.0★ (4) wp.org #10 ↑2 13 too high 24 Simple Tracking 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 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.