wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “title modification”
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 “title modification”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Bulk Edit Post Title – Mass Rename, Bulk Find & Replace for WordPress Posts, Pages and Products shows at wp.org #1 but places #11 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 60+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 1516 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.
Search Regex 100K+ · 4.7★ (101)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
Simple SEO 10K+ · 4.7★ (33)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
XML Sitemap & Google News 100K+ · 4.4★ (85)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491)
wp.org #7 3 too low 5 
Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302)
wp.org #5 6 
Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
DTX – Dynamic Text Extension for Contact Form 7 100K+ · 4.7★ (99)
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets 100K+ · 4.9★ (1516)
wp.org #20 ↓1 12 too low 9 
Enable Abilities for MCP 5K+ · 5.0★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #6 3 too high 10 
Robo Gallery – Photo & Image Slider 40K+ · 4.3★ (406)
wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too low 11 Bulk Edit Post Title – Mass Rename, Bulk Find & Replace for WordPress Posts, Pages and Products 60+ · 3.7★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #1 10 too high 12 
Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – RexFeed – Sell on 200+ Shopping Channels 10K+ · 4.8★ (256)
wp.org #16 4 too low 13 
Options for Twenty Twenty-One 6K+ · 4.9★ (64)
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
WC – APG Weight Shipping 6K+ · 4.3★ (49)
wp.org #10 4 too high 15 
Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27)
wp.org #11 4 too high 16 
Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202)
wp.org #23 7 too low 17 
Options for Twenty Seventeen 8K+ · 4.8★ (57)
wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too low 18 
WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19 
Generate Images (AI) – Magic Post Thumbnail 5K+ · 4.3★ (25)
wp.org #13 6 too high 20 
Advanced iFrame 40K+ · 4.4★ (54)
wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 
Options for Twenty Twenty 3K+ · 4.7★ (31)
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 
Download Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (27)
wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 
Options for Twenty Nineteen 700+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too high 24 
Surbma | Divi Extras 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 9 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.