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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “timezones”

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 “timezones”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column shows at wp.org #5 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

FakerPress places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 205 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 Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) wp.org #1 2 WP Crontrol 300K+ · 4.4★ (167) wp.org #2 3 HurryTimer – An Scarcity and Urgency Countdown Timer for WordPress & WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.8★ (170) wp.org #3 ↑5 4 User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Hustle – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Optins, Popups 80K+ · 4.4★ (859) wp.org #13 ↑2 8 too low 6 FakerPress 10K+ · 4.9★ (205) wp.org #17 ↑1 11 too low 7 Simple Google Calendar Outlook Events Widget 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8 Online Active Users 2K+ · 4.7★ (51) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 تقویم فارسی – Persian Calendar 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #6 ↓1 4 too high 11 Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 too high 12 User Login History 10K+ · 4.6★ (29) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too high 13 Dynamic Year Block 2K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #7 ↓1 6 too high 14 Timed Content 5K+ · 4.6★ (41) wp.org #14 15 Simple Location 300+ · 4.6★ (8) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 WP GoToWebinar 600+ · 4.9★ (15) wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode by Colorlib 5K+ · 4.7★ (42) wp.org #24 ↓2 7 too low 18 EventON – Events Calendar 6K+ · 4.1★ (44) wp.org #22 ↑2 4 too low 19 Restrict Dates Add-On for Gravity Forms 500+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too high 20 iCalendrier 700+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↑1 21 Current Year, Symbols and IP Shortcode 10K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 DayOfWeek 300+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #19 ↑1 3 too high 23 Eventward 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 AI Agent by SiteGround 1M+ · 1.7★ (98) wp.org #18 ↑1 6 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.