Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “usa 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 “usa map”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Interactive Divisional Maps Bangladesh shows at wp.org #8 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 100+ 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

LightPress Lightbox places #7 on merit, 4.6★ from 72 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #1 2 Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too low 3 MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps 30K+ · 4.4★ (65) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Interactive US Map – Create Clickable & Customizable U.S. Maps 300+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #2 ↑1 2 too high 5 MapSVG – Vector maps, Image maps, Google Maps 1K+ · 4.5★ (31) wp.org #5 6 Simple Shortcode for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.6★ (46) wp.org #6 7 LightPress Lightbox 40K+ · 4.6★ (72) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 12 Step Meeting List 900+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 WP Club Manager – WordPress Sports Club Plugin 600+ · 4.7★ (40) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 Locatoraid Store Locator 1K+ · 4.5★ (17) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 Geo Controller – Geolocation & Geotargeting 1K+ · 4.4★ (31) wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Affiliate Super Assistent 1K+ · 4.6★ (36) wp.org #20 8 too low 13 Amministrazione Trasparente 1K+ · 4.9★ (25) wp.org #21 8 too low 14 C Custom Upload Dir 5K+ · 4.4★ (25) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 Interactive US Map 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #7 8 too high 16 Progus Store Locator Map (No API Key Required) 30+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 ThemeCanvas Locations for Elementor with OpenStreetMap 200+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 AutoCEP 1K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #18 19 MMWW 200+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Interactive Divisional Maps Bangladesh 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 12 too high 21 Autocomplete Google places 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Map Field for Contact Form 7 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 5 too high 23 SizeSync – Size Chart & Size Guide for WooCommerce 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 Crumb 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 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.