wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “ux builder”
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 “ux builder”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 2 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
Header Footer Builder for Elementor shows at wp.org #8 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 30K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager places #7 on merit, 4.7★ from 1125 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Popup Builder – Create highly converting, mobile friendly marketing popups. 200K+ · 4.7★ (2215) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #1 ↑3 2 
WP Table Builder – Drag & Drop Table Builder 50K+ · 4.8★ (681)
wp.org #2 3 
FunnelKit – Funnel Builder Plugin for WooCommerce Checkout 30K+ · 5.0★ (1028)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807)
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528)
wp.org #6 ↑3 1 too low 6 
CartFlows – Funnel Builder & Checkout Plugin for WooCommerce 200K+ · 4.8★ (517) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager 200K+ · 4.7★ (1125)
wp.org #15 8 too low 8 
MetForm – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Conditional Forms, Form Templates & Custom Form Builder for Elementor 500K+ · 4.7★ (509) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 2 too low 9 
Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page Builder for Gutenberg Blocks & Patterns 100K+ · 4.9★ (216) heavy footprint
wp.org #14 5 too low 10 
Page Builder: Pagelayer – Drag and Drop website builder 400K+ · 3.9★ (104)
wp.org #9 ↑2 1 too high 11 
Popup builder with Gamification, Multi-Step Popups, Page-Level Targeting, and WooCommerce Triggers 70K+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↑1 6 too high 12 
Live Composer – Free WordPress Website Builder 10K+ · 4.4★ (212) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too high 13 
Product Table & List Builder for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.9★ (254)
wp.org #23 ↑1 10 too low 14 
ShopEngine – All-in-One Elementor WooCommerce Builder with eCommerce Templates & Woo Widgets 100K+ · 4.6★ (212)
wp.org #21 7 too low 15 
aBlocks – Gutenberg Blocks, User Dashboard Builder, Popup Builder, Form Builder & Animation Builder 2K+ · 5.0★ (26) heavy footprint
wp.org #12 ↑1 3 too high 16 
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262) not PHP-current
wp.org #22 6 too low 17 
Twenty20 Image Before-After 20K+ · 4.0★ (54)
wp.org #18 ↑2 1 too low 18 Header Footer Builder for Elementor 30K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #8 10 too high 19 
Kubio AI Page Builder 80K+ · 4.4★ (79) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #19 ↓3 20 
YMC Filter 4K+ · 4.8★ (34)
wp.org #24 ↓9 4 too low 21 
TableKit – WordPress Table Builder for Data Tables, WooCommerce Product Tables & Post Tables 3K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #13 8 too high 22 
AM LottiePlayer 700+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑2 6 too high 23 
SKT Page Builder 2K+ · 2.7★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 
Editor Cleanup For Flatsome: FDP add-on to clean up the Flatsome UX Builder 60+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #17 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.