wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “user taxonomy”
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 taxonomy”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
List Custom Taxonomy Widget shows at wp.org #9 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 8K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.7★ average from 21 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
User Submitted Posts – Enable Users to Submit Posts from the Front End places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 913 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #1 2 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
User Role Editor 700K+ · 4.5★ (288)
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Custom Taxonomy Order 50K+ · 4.8★ (96)
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440)
wp.org #6 7 
WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350)
wp.org #8 1 too low 8 
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission 20K+ · 4.1★ (537)
wp.org #7 1 too high 9 User Submitted Posts – Enable Users to Submit Posts from the Front End 10K+ · 4.8★ (913)
wp.org #14 5 too low 10 
Related Posts by Taxonomy 10K+ · 4.8★ (77)
wp.org #11 1 too low 11 
Beautiful taxonomy filters 2K+ · 4.9★ (68)
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
User Access Manager 10K+ · 4.4★ (112)
wp.org #13 1 too low 13 
PublishPress Taxonomies – Tag, Category, and Taxonomy Manager – Autotagger Automatically Add Terms 40K+ · 4.6★ (195)
wp.org #17 4 too low 14 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #21 7 too low 15 List Custom Taxonomy Widget 8K+ · 4.7★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #9 6 too high 16 
Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423)
wp.org #24 8 too low 17 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #12 5 too high 18 
ProfilePress – Paid Membership, Online Courses (LMS), Ecommerce, User Registration & Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content 100K+ · 3.1★ (938)
wp.org #15 3 too high 19 
WPFront User Role Editor 30K+ · 4.5★ (65)
wp.org #16 3 too high 20 
Restrict User Access – Ultimate Membership & Content Protection 10K+ · 4.3★ (94)
wp.org #22 2 too low 21 
Term Taxonomy Converter 500+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 S Simple Taxonomy Refreshed 400+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 
Remove Taxonomy URL 1K+ · 4.2★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #20 3 too high 24 
WP Taxonomy Manager 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #19 5 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.