wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “timeline widget”
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 “timeline widget”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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
Timeline – Tell Your Story Through Events and Milestones shows at wp.org #9 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Unlimited Elements for Elementor places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 525 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Timeline Widget For Elementor (Elementor Timeline, Vertical & Horizontal Timeline) 70K+ · 4.8★ (248)
wp.org #1 2 
Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #6 2 too low 5 
Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor 10K+ · 4.8★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 3 too high 6 
Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528)
wp.org #10 ↑3 4 too low 7 
Custom Twitter Feeds – A Tweets Widget or X Feed Widget 100K+ · 4.8★ (401)
wp.org #17 10 too low 8 
Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612)
wp.org #16 ↓1 8 too low 9 
Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58)
wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too low 10 
Master Addons for Elementor – Elementor Addons, Widgets, Mega Menu Builder, Popup Builder, Widget Builder & Template Kits 30K+ · 4.5★ (212)
wp.org #18 ↓2 8 too low 11 
HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525)
wp.org #24 ↓1 12 too low 13 
Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets) 100K+ · 4.8★ (333) heavy footprint
wp.org #22 ↓1 9 too low 14 
Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #5 9 too high 15 
Post Timeline 700+ · 4.2★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 
Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #7 9 too high 17 
Buttonizer – Social Media Share Buttons, Social Icons, & Social Feeds 40K+ · 4.8★ (396) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 ↓1 6 too low 18 
Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↑3 3 too high 19 
Timeline Module for Divi 3K+ · 4.8★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #8 11 too high 20 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #21 1 too low 21 Timeline – Tell Your Story Through Events and Milestones 2K+ · 4.3★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #9 12 too high 22 
All-in-one Like Widget 1K+ · 4.9★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #20 2 too high 23 
Timeline Blocks 400+ · 4.8★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 11 too high 24 
WPB Addons for Elementor – News Ticker, Timeline, Team & More Widgets 3K+ · 3.8★ (11) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #19 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.