wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “users list”
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 “users list”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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
User Profile Picture – Custom Local Avatars shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 4K+ 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.
Import and export users and customers 70K+ · 4.7★ (259)
wp.org #1 2 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #4 ↑1 2 too low 3 P Page-list 30K+ · 4.7★ (89)
wp.org #3 4 
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ · 4.9★ (1281)
wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 
List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445)
wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too low 7 
Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #2 5 too high 8 
Export and Import Users and Customers 50K+ · 4.8★ (442) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too high 9 
User Role Editor 700K+ · 4.5★ (288)
wp.org #9 10 
User Switching 200K+ · 4.9★ (238)
wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 
W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94)
wp.org #10 1 too high 12 
Online Active Users 2K+ · 4.7★ (51)
wp.org #11 1 too high 13 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #16 3 too low 14 
Product Customer List for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.9★ (75)
wp.org #15 ↓1 1 too low 15 
Login as User: See the Site as Any User 30K+ · 4.8★ (41)
wp.org #17 ↑4 2 too low 16 
List Custom Taxonomy Widget 8K+ · 4.7★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 2 too high 17 
Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74)
wp.org #19 2 too low 18 
One User Avatar | User Profile Picture 100K+ · 4.7★ (41)
wp.org #22 ↓2 4 too low 19 
Send Users Email – Email Subscribers, Email Marketing Newsletter 5K+ · 4.5★ (28)
wp.org #18 ↓3 1 too high 20 
Contact List – Online Staff Directory & Address Book 1K+ · 4.8★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too low 21 
JS Categories List Widget 1K+ · 4.8★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓5 2 too low 22 
Ultimate Post List 2K+ · 4.6★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23 
List Last Changes 1K+ · 4.8★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 1 too low 24 User Profile Picture – Custom Local Avatars 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #12 12 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.