wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “user input”
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 “user input”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 5 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
Input Masks for Elementor Forms shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #10 on merit, 4.8★ from 3220 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
User Registration & Membership – Free & Paid Memberships, Subscriptions, Content Restriction, User Profile, Custom User Registration & Login Builder 50K+ · 4.8★ (832)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #3 ↑1 4 
User Submitted Posts – Enable Users to Submit Posts from the Front End 10K+ · 4.8★ (913)
wp.org #10 6 too low 5 
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission 20K+ · 4.1★ (537) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↑4 6 
WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 7 
Open User Map – Interactive Leaflet Maps 10K+ · 5.0★ (70)
wp.org #8 ↑3 1 too low 8 
One User Avatar | User Profile Picture 100K+ · 4.7★ (41)
wp.org #7 1 too high 9 
User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112)
wp.org #9 ↓1 10 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220)
wp.org #21 11 too low 11 
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807)
wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #23 11 too low 13 
UsersWP – Front-end login form, User Registration, User Profile & Members Directory plugin for WP 20K+ · 4.7★ (183)
wp.org #19 6 too low 14 
Product Input Fields for WooCommerce 4K+ · 4.0★ (17) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #4 ↑1 10 too high 15 
Export and Import Users and Customers 50K+ · 4.8★ (442) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #16 ↑2 1 too low 16 
Input Mask For Elementor Form Fields 10K+ · 4.5★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too high 17 
User Login History 10K+ · 4.6★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too high 18 
Restrict User Access – Ultimate Membership & Content Protection 10K+ · 4.3★ (94) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 2 too low 19 
Form Input Masks For Elementor Forms 10K+ · 4.1★ (18) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↑2 4 too high 20 
International Telephone Input With Flags And Dial Codes 1K+ · 4.1★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↑1 8 too high 21 
User Role by BestWebSoft – Add and Customize Roles and Capabilities in WordPress 3K+ · 3.6★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 
Expire User Passwords 3K+ · 4.2★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 
SilkyPress Input Field Block 100+ · 5.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Input Masks for Elementor Forms 600+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑1 13 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.