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

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 “uptime”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 3 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

Uptime Monitoring for WordPress – My Website is Online shows at wp.org #3 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 500+ 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

Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 528 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 Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #1 2 WP Umbrella: Security Backup Restore & Monitoring 90K+ · 4.8★ (81) wp.org #2 ↑2 3 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #4 ↓2 1 too low 4 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #6 ↑4 2 too low 5 ManageWP Worker 1M+ · 4.6★ (679) wp.org #9 ↓3 4 too low 6 Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ · 5.0★ (133) wp.org #10 ↓3 4 too low 7 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #13 ↑4 6 too low 8 WP Server Health Stats 9K+ · 4.8★ (110) wp.org #16 ↑2 8 too low 9 Post SMTP – Complete Email Delivery and SMTP Solution with Email Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App 300K+ · 4.7★ (528) wp.org #22 ↓9 13 too low 10 iControlWP 1K+ · 4.8★ (63) wp.org #18 ↑1 8 too low 11 Remote Website Management by Watchful 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 ↑1 3 too high 12 Uptime Monitoring for WordPress – My Website is Online 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 9 too high 13 Fatal Error Notify 6K+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 LukStack Uptime Monitor 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 9 too high 15 WP Client Reports 6K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Management App for WooCommerce – Order notifications, Order management, Lead management, Uptime Monitoring 800+ · 4.0★ (9) wp.org #7 ↑1 9 too high 17 Kadence Central – Site Management, Backups, Security, and Reporting 30K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #11 6 too high 18 WP-ServerInfo 10K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #21 ↓1 3 too low 19 CheckView – Form & Checkout Testing 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #24 ↓2 5 too low 20 Really Simple Under Construction Page – Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode 1K+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #23 ↑1 3 too low 21 Check for Broken Links – Broken Link Checker & SEO Suite 1K+ · 4.0★ (6) wp.org #14 ↑2 7 too high 22 Opt-Out for Google Analytics (DSGVO / GDPR) 3K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Paytrail for WooCommerce 3K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #19 ↑2 4 too high 24 Glow: maintenance & support management for agencies 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓2 7 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.