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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “us map”

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 “us map”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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

Interactive US Map shows at wp.org #13 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty places #12 on merit, 5.0★ from 1244 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 Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) wp.org #4 ↓3 2 too low 3 MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps 30K+ · 4.4★ (65) wp.org #3 ↑1 4 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #6 ↑4 2 too low 5 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #7 ↓1 2 too low 6 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #8 ↑3 2 too low 7 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #10 ↓2 3 too low 8 HTML5 Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (45) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147) wp.org #9 10 Interactive US Map – Create Clickable & Customizable U.S. Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #2 ↑1 8 too high 11 Maps Plugin using Google Maps for WordPress – WP Google Map 10K+ · 4.8★ (172) wp.org #12 ↑1 1 too low 12 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #19 ↑1 7 too low 13 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) wp.org #11 ↑4 3 too high 15 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #18 3 too low 16 Interactive Image Map Plugin – Draw Attention 20K+ · 4.9★ (114) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #15 ↓8 2 too high 18 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) wp.org #22 ↓1 4 too low 19 Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 exovia GDPR Google Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (11) wp.org #16 ↑1 4 too high 21 Very Simple Google Maps 3K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too high 22 Interactive US Map 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #13 ↓1 9 too high 23 Easy Map – Store Locator, OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Mapbox 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Travel Map 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 ↓1 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.