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

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 “transparency”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Klarvo AI Transparency for EU AI Act shows at wp.org #3 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 20+ 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

Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution places #11 on merit, 4.4★ from 590 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Statify 100K+ · 4.8★ (51) wp.org #1 2 PNG to JPG 10K+ · 4.7★ (40) wp.org #2 ↑10 3 Favicon by RealFaviconGenerator 200K+ · 4.9★ (802) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4 Advanced WordPress Backgrounds 30K+ · 4.8★ (44) wp.org #4 ↑3 5 Side Cart Woocommerce | Woocommerce Cart 70K+ · 4.9★ (453) wp.org #9 ↓6 4 too low 6 Resize Image After Upload 80K+ · 4.8★ (56) wp.org #6 ↓1 7 Image Watermark 40K+ · 4.2★ (299) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (Easy to setup GDPR/CCPA Compliant Cookie Notice) 1M+ · 4.8★ (3236) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Redirection for Contact Form 7 200K+ · 4.7★ (275) wp.org #16 ↑3 7 too low 10 WPConsent – Cookie Banner & Cookie Consent for Privacy Compliance (GDPR / CCPA / EU Compliance Cookie Notice) 200K+ · 4.8★ (85) wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too low 11 Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution 100K+ · 4.4★ (590) wp.org #23 ↓7 12 too low 12 WC Price History 5K+ · 5.0★ (27) wp.org #12 ↓2 13 I iframe 60K+ · 4.4★ (56) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 Cookiebot – Cookie Banner & Cookie Consent for GDPR, CCPA & Google Consent Mode 100K+ · 4.4★ (440) wp.org #24 ↓6 10 too low 15 Auto Featured Image (Auto Post Thumbnail) 40K+ · 3.8★ (119) wp.org #18 3 too low 16 Product Watermark for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.7★ (55) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #7 ↑2 10 too high 18 ReCrawler 3K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #22 ↑1 4 too low 19 Klarvo AI Transparency for EU AI Act 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 ↓1 16 too high 20 Statify Widget 4K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too high 21 AI Copilot – ChatGPT Chatbot & AI Engine for Post Automation 1K+ · 4.2★ (6) wp.org #17 4 too high 22 AIM Transparency – AI Disclosure for EU AI Act 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓6 12 too high 23 seQura 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 Auto Update Post Date 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↑1 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.