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

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 “trashed”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

CodingBunny Database Cleaner shows at wp.org #7 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Notification – Custom Notifications and Alerts for WordPress places #10 on merit, 4.6★ from 124 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 bbPress 100K+ · 3.9★ (343) wp.org #1 2 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #2 3 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4229) wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too low 5 Breeze Cache 300K+ · 3.6★ (133) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74) wp.org #4 ↑2 2 too high 7 Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions 60K+ · 4.7★ (181) wp.org #12 5 too low 8 A Attachment Pages Redirect 10K+ · 4.9★ (47) wp.org #13 5 too low 9 SpeedyCache – Cache, Optimization, Performance 500K+ · 4.4★ (30) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 Notification – Custom Notifications and Alerts for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (124) wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11 Autoremove Attachments 3K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too high 12 Falcon – Cache, Performance, Security, Cleanup, and Tweaks 2K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 Post Lockdown 1K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 LWS Tools 10K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #15 1 too low 15 Share a Draft 3K+ · 3.7★ (11) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Sequential Order Numbers for WooCommerce 10K+ · 3.8★ (29) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 Gravity Forms CLI Add-On 20K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #17 18 SweepPress: Website Cleanup and Optimization 500+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 CodingBunny Database Cleaner 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑3 12 too high 20 CM Custom Reports – Flexible reporting to track what matters most 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 JetHost Total Care – Security & Enhancements 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too high 22 Templ Optimizer 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 Trash Fail Safe 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↑1 5 too high 24 Hungry Resource Monitor 200+ · 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.