wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “threshold”
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 “threshold”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 4 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
One Stop Shop for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #8 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 397 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83)
wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 
Image Watermark 40K+ · 4.2★ (298)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Advanced Free Shipping for WooCommerce 40K+ · 4.8★ (122)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
Germanized for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (496)
wp.org #10 ↓2 4 too low 7 
Disable Thumbnails, Threshold and Image Options 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #2 5 too high 8 
Free Shipping Label and Progress Bar for WooCommerce 5K+ · 5.0★ (43) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 
Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157)
wp.org #9 10 
Sticky Header Effects for Elementor 300K+ · 4.5★ (69)
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too low 11 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #20 ↑1 9 too low 12 
Table of Contents Plus – Automatic Table of Contents for Posts & Pages 200K+ · 4.5★ (187)
wp.org #18 6 too low 13 
404 to 301 – Redirect Manager, 301 Redirection, 404 Error Logs & 404 Monitoring 100K+ · 4.7★ (321)
wp.org #23 10 too low 14 
Wallet for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.7★ (188) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too low 15 
WP-Memory-Usage 10K+ · 4.5★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16 
Back In Stock Notifier for WooCommerce | WooCommerce Waitlist Pro 20K+ · 4.7★ (122) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 17 
Disable Generate Thumbnails 6K+ · 5.0★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 
Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too low 19 
Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (248) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 5 too low 20 
Freetop – Free Shipping Bar for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (40) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓2 3 too high 21 One Stop Shop for WooCommerce 10K+ · 5.0★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 13 too high 22 
Easy Actions Scheduler Cleaner 900+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too high 23 
What Would Seth Godin Do 900+ · 4.8★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓2 1 too high 24 
WPC Free Shipping Bar for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.2★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 10 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.