wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tool tip”
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 “tool tip”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Smart Keywords Tool – 智能关键词插件 shows at wp.org #3 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 19 places. Its 500+ 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
Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 2528 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #1 2 
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833)
wp.org #2 3 
GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 100K+ · 4.6★ (708)
wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4 
Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605)
wp.org #4 ↑3 5 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #6 ↑6 1 too low 6 
Booster for WooCommerce – PDF Invoices, Abandoned Cart, Variation Swatches & 100+ Tools 30K+ · 4.6★ (535)
wp.org #8 ↓3 2 too low 7 
Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #10 ↑3 3 too low 8 
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
Product Addons for Woocommerce – Product Options with Custom Fields 30K+ · 4.9★ (474)
wp.org #12 ↓3 3 too low 10 
WP ULike – Like Buttons, Voting & Engagement Analytics 60K+ · 4.8★ (283)
wp.org #11 1 too low 11 
Smart Slider 3 800K+ · 4.9★ (1125)
wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too low 12 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528)
wp.org #16 ↑2 4 too low 13 
Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF 900K+ · 4.3★ (1656)
wp.org #13 ↑1 14 
Weblizar Pin It Button On Image Hover And Post 10K+ · 4.0★ (64)
wp.org #9 ↑1 5 too high 15 
Page scroll to id 100K+ · 4.9★ (225)
wp.org #18 ↑2 3 too low 16 
Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154)
wp.org #17 1 too low 17 
Jetpack Boost – Website Speed, Performance and Critical CSS 200K+ · 4.7★ (612)
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 
ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics 80K+ · 3.6★ (138)
wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too high 19 
API KEY for Google Maps 30K+ · 4.9★ (55)
wp.org #23 4 too low 20 
PickPlugins Pricing Table 900+ · 5.0★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 21 
WooCommerce PayPal Payments 800K+ · 2.9★ (583)
wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 Smart Keywords Tool – 智能关键词插件 500+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↑1 19 too high 23 
Amedea – Unique Design Elements for Elementor 500+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↑3 4 too high 24 
Pixelavo – Server Side Tracking & Pixel + AI Ads Tools 2K+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #21 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.