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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “updates server”

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 “updates server”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20.

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

Disable Updates for WordPress Core, Plugins and Themes shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 9K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 8869 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (199) wp.org #1 2 AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Secure MCP Server for Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI Agents 8K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8708) wp.org #9 ↓2 5 too low 5 WP Server Health Stats 9K+ · 4.8★ (110) wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too low 6 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #14 ↓2 8 too low 7 Easy MCP AI – Connect Claude to WordPress: MCP Server for ChatGPT & AI Agents 30K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8 WP Updates Notifier 20K+ · 4.2★ (35) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #11 ↓1 2 too low 10 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470) wp.org #18 ↓3 8 too low 11 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #16 ↓2 5 too low 12 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #22 ↓2 10 too low 13 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #13 ↓4 14 WP OAuth Server ( Login with WordPress ) 1K+ · 4.9★ (41) wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ · 5.0★ (133) wp.org #20 ↓3 5 too low 16 AI Puffer – AI Chatbot & MCP Server for Claude and ChatGPT 10K+ · 4.6★ (166) wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too low 17 BEAR – Bulk Editor for WooCommerce Professional. AI assistant on board (MCP Server) 30K+ · 4.7★ (228) wp.org #21 4 too low 18 Disable Updates for WordPress Core, Plugins and Themes 9K+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #6 ↓2 12 too high 19 S Server-Side Cache AutoPurge 10K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #8 ↓2 11 too high 20 Add From Server Lite 4K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 ↓2 10 too high 21 Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too high 22 Cowboy MCP – Free MCP Server with Undo for Claude & ChatGPT 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 Content Update Scheduler 2K+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #23 24 Auto Update Post Date 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓5

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.