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

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 “tomorrow”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 3 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

Static Posts for Twitter – Embed x.com Tweets without an iframe shows at wp.org #9 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools places #10 on merit, 4.6★ from 535 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 We’re Open! 5K+ · 5.0★ (45) wp.org #1 2 Delivery & Pickup Date Time for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (282) wp.org #2 3 Brave – Create Popup, Optins, Lead Generation, Survey, Sticky Elements & Interactive Content 20K+ · 4.8★ (209) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO 30K+ · 4.6★ (683) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 The Events Calendar Shortcode & Block 10K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #11 6 too low 6 Current Year, Symbols and IP Shortcode 10K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Anti-Spam Protection – No API Key, GDPR Friendly 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #7 8 Social Engine 600+ · 4.8★ (30) wp.org #13 5 too low 9 BZScore – Live Score 500+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools 30K+ · 4.6★ (535) wp.org #19 9 too low 11 PI Delivery & Pickup Date Time for WooCommerce 400+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 ProScores – Live Scores 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #4 9 too high 14 DayOfWeek 300+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 Estimated delivery date per product for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.3★ (83) wp.org #21 6 too low 16 Events Search & Filter Bar for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.8★ (29) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 WPC Product Timer for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #18 1 too low 18 Slickstream: Engagement and Conversions 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 Users Birthday Email 80+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 Static Posts for Twitter – Embed x.com Tweets without an iframe 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 11 too high 21 Simple Show Date 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 4 too high 22 Business Hours & Holiday Schedule Manager 100+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Date Filters, Date Picker & Unique IDs for Gravity Forms – Hero Add-On 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 EV Puzzles 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24

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.