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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tip jar”

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 “tip jar”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 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

Crypto QR Code WP shows at wp.org #8 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Cooked – Recipe Management places #5 on merit, 3.9★ from 90 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Kit (formerly ConvertKit) – Email Newsletter, Email Marketing, Membership, Subscribers and Landing Pages 40K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Tip Jar WP 200+ · 3.3★ (7) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #15 ↑1 11 too low 5 Cooked – Recipe Management 3K+ · 3.9★ (90) wp.org #18 13 too low 6 Order Tip & Donations for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 ZionPe Payments 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 1 too high 8 Wallet Up – Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle & QR Code Payments 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 WP to diaspora 50+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 11 too low 10 HandyPay Payments 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↑2 3 too high 11 TDFE Tips & Donations for EDD — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 FundCollector – Donations Plugin and Fundraising Platform for WordPress — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 Buy Me a Coffee – Membership, Paywall & Fundraiser with Stripe & PayPal 90+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14 Crypto QR Code WP 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too high 15 Ecomtrackify Omni Tips for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too high 16 ACS Content for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Instant Crypto Payments — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Cheerful Give — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 SansTerra Easy AI Chatbot — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 20 AddOnBoss – Product Add-Ons & Extra Product Options for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 3 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.