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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “update checks”

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 “update checks”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

WebChange Detector: Visual Regression Testing & Visual Checks After Updates shows at wp.org #8 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 300+ 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

UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 8708 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 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040) wp.org #1 2 Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 Disable WordPress Update Notifications and auto-update Email Notifications 10K+ · 4.2★ (19) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 Companion Auto Update 40K+ · 4.8★ (105) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Go Live Update Urls 90K+ · 4.5★ (59) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) wp.org #10 ↓3 4 too low 7 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7520) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 Disable All WordPress Updates 20K+ · 4.8★ (69) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708) wp.org #19 ↓1 10 too low 10 Check & Log Email – Easy Email Testing & Mail logging 90K+ · 4.8★ (292) wp.org #16 ↓2 6 too low 11 Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ · 5.0★ (133) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #22 ↑1 10 too low 13 U Update Control 4K+ · 4.4★ (17) wp.org #6 7 too high 14 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 WP Updates Notifier 20K+ · 4.2★ (35) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Plugin Check (PCP) 10K+ · 4.5★ (36) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Content Update Scheduler 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #7 ↑2 10 too high 18 Bulk Price Update for Woocommerce 2K+ · 4.0★ (16) wp.org #11 ↑1 7 too high 19 WebChange Detector: Visual Regression Testing & Visual Checks After Updates 300+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #8 11 too high 20 WP24 Domain Check 4K+ · 4.3★ (32) wp.org #24 ↓4 4 too low 21 Hostinger Tools 3M+ · 3.5★ (40) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Disable Updates for WordPress Core, Plugins and Themes 9K+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 Disable Auto Update Emails and Block Updates for Plugins, WP Core, and Themes 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↑1 24 Ignore Or Disable Plugin Update 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓2 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.