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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “variable to simple”

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 “variable to simple”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Variable Inspector shows at wp.org #11 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 200+ 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

Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce places #8 on merit, 4.7★ from 1071 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Really Simple Security – Simple and Performant Security (formerly Really Simple SSL) 3M+ · 4.9★ (8869) wp.org #1 2 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Simple Share Buttons Adder 40K+ · 4.3★ (627) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Really Simple CAPTCHA 300K+ · 4.2★ (131) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5 Simple Download Monitor 20K+ · 4.7★ (158) wp.org #5 6 Click to Chat – HoliThemes 600K+ · 4.8★ (131) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Simple Shopping Cart 10K+ · 4.6★ (215) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too low 8 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Simple Banner – Easily add multiple Banners/Bars/Notifications/Announcements to the top or bottom of your website 50K+ · 4.8★ (45) wp.org #9 10 Show only lowest prices in variable products for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.8★ (28) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 Simple Comment Editing 2K+ · 4.8★ (55) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 Simple Chat Button 40K+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #8 ↑2 4 too high 13 Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 Contact Form Clean and Simple 7K+ · 4.7★ (195) wp.org #20 6 too low 15 Simple Download Counter 2K+ · 4.9★ (19) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Variation Swatches for WooCommerce 300K+ · 4.8★ (926) wp.org #21 ↑3 5 too low 17 Simple JWT Login – Allows you to use JWT on REST endpoints. 4K+ · 5.0★ (47) wp.org #19 2 too low 18 Simple GDPR Cookie Compliance 6K+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 Add to Calendar Button 3K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 Variable Inspector 200+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #11 ↓3 9 too high 21 Really Simple Featured Video for Posts, Pages & WooCommerce Products 4K+ · 4.0★ (34) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 Simple Catalog for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 Simple Points and Rewards for WooCommerce – Create a Loyalty Program 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 Simple Blog Card 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) 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.