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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “vacancies”

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 “vacancies”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 6 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

WP-HR Manager: The Human Resources Plugin for WordPress shows at wp.org #6 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 200+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Job Postings places #4 on merit, 4.4★ from 58 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 JobWP – Job Board Plugin for WordPress | Job Listings, Career Page & Applications 1K+ · 5.0★ (20) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 Job Manager & Career – Manage job board listings, and recruitments 1K+ · 4.7★ (7) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Job Postings 10K+ · 4.4★ (58) wp.org #20 16 too low 5 OTYS Plugin 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #1 4 too high 6 Jobit Vacancies for Multiposter — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Inserato Stellenanzeigen 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 8 Apprenticeship Connect — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 9 HireCurrent – Recruitment & Automated Job Listings by Jayanta — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 10 Launchmind Blog 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 12 too low 11 HireHive Job Plugin 40+ · 3.5★ (6) wp.org #23 12 too low 12 Cliptakes 40+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #21 9 too low 13 Vacancy Scraper UA — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14 R Recruit So Simple Jobs — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 LeaseFox — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 2 too high 16 Artemis Stellenanzeigen 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too high 17 Trionix Recruitment Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 SpreadSimple Integration 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↓1 7 too high 19 J Jobs Integration For Taleo API — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 H Holiday Homes Vacancy — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 Company vacancies 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 Chameleoni Jobs 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too high 23 WP-HR Manager: The Human Resources Plugin for WordPress 200+ · 2.0★ (5) wp.org #6 17 too high 24 Property Management Software | UnitConnect 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.