wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “updated date”
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 “updated date”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 4 plugins are 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
WPC Estimated Delivery Date for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #5 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 9 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 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.
WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ · 4.9★ (31)
wp.org #1 2 
پارسی دیت – Parsi Date 100K+ · 4.6★ (130)
wp.org #2 3 
Show modified Date in admin lists 6K+ · 4.9★ (32)
wp.org #3 4 
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519)
wp.org #10 ↓1 6 too low 5 
Shortcode for Current Date 10K+ · 5.0★ (116)
wp.org #9 ↑1 4 too low 6 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #11 ↑2 5 too low 7 
Order Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (61) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
WooCommerce 7M+ · 4.5★ (4833) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #8 9 
WP Last Modified Info 40K+ · 4.9★ (855)
wp.org #20 ↓1 11 too low 10 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821)
wp.org #23 13 too low 11 
Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726)
wp.org #19 ↓2 8 too low 12 
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #22 10 too low 13 
Enable Media Replace 600K+ · 4.4★ (302)
wp.org #17 ↑3 4 too low 14 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too low 15 
Nepali Date Converter 800+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #6 9 too high 16 
Post Updated Date 500+ · 3.7★ (11) thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #7 9 too high 17 
Estimated delivery date per product for WooCommerce 300+ · 4.3★ (83) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 WPC Estimated Delivery Date for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.0★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #5 13 too high 19 
First payment date for WooCommerce Subscriptions 400+ · 4.7★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 6 too high 20 
Post Date Randomizer 8K+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 
Product Delivery Date for WooCommerce – Lite 1K+ · 4.1★ (13) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #14 7 too high 22 R Recently Updated Pages and Posts 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 10 too high 23 
DX Out of Date 80+ · 4.3★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 
Lock Last Modified Date 80+ · 4.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #18 6 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.