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

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 “transport”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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 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

HSTS Ready shows at wp.org #6 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

hCaptcha for WP places #12 on merit, 4.6★ from 88 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 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #1 2 HTTP Headers 40K+ · 4.3★ (70) wp.org #2 3 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #3 4 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too low 5 The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) wp.org #7 ↑2 2 too low 6 Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL) 100K+ · 4.2★ (71) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Easy MCP AI – Connect Claude to WordPress: MCP Server for ChatGPT & AI Agents 30K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #4 ↑1 4 too high 9 Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too high 10 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 hCaptcha for WP 70K+ · 4.6★ (88) wp.org #23 ↓4 11 too low 13 Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120) wp.org #17 4 too low 14 E-cab Taxi Booking Manager for Woocommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too low 15 HSTS Ready 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 Disable XML-RPC-API 100K+ · 4.2★ (43) wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too low 17 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #24 ↓1 7 too low 18 Royal MCP – Secure AI Connector for Claude, ChatGPT & any LLM via MCP 10K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 OpenPorte Spam Protection 500+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #11 ↑5 8 too high 20 Blacklist Manager – WooCommerce Anti-Fraud, Blacklist & Checkout Verification 2K+ · 3.6★ (14) wp.org #16 ↓4 4 too high 21 School Management System – WPSchoolPress 1K+ · 4.0★ (21) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 MCP Adapter 60K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑1 9 too high 23 Travel Map 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 ABP Transport Booking — · 5.0★ (1) 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.