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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “vat validation”

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 “vat validation”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 5 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

VIESAC – Free VAT Validation for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #7 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Germanized for WooCommerce places #7 on merit, 4.8★ from 496 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 EU/UK VAT Validation Manager for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.8★ (39) wp.org #1 2 EU VAT Assistant for WooCommerce 5K+ · 5.0★ (37) wp.org #2 3 European VAT Compliance Assistant for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #3 4 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 Easy Digital Downloads – eCommerce Payments and Subscriptions made easy 40K+ · 4.7★ (591) wp.org #11 6 too low 6 Flexible Checkout Fields for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Checkout Manager 80K+ · 4.7★ (296) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Germanized for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (496) wp.org #16 ↓2 9 too low 8 Flexible PDF Invoices for WooCommerce & WordPress 6K+ · 4.4★ (37) wp.org #8 ↓1 9 WPify Woo – Withdrawal, CRN/VAT, QR payments, Heureka and more for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (49) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 StoreEngine — Complete eCommerce Solution with Memberships, Licensing, Affiliates & More 700+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #15 5 too low 11 WC – APG NIF/CIF/NIE Field 10K+ · 4.8★ (23) wp.org #13 2 too low 12 Kybernaut IČO DIČ 2K+ · 5.0★ (38) wp.org #18 ↓1 6 too low 13 EU VAT Guard for WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↑2 9 too high 14 Connect WooCommerce Shop to ERP/CRM, Verifactu and EU/VAT Compliance 900+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too high 15 Greek VAT & Invoices for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 ↓1 10 too high 16 SuperFaktura WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #21 5 too low 17 NIF (Num. de Contribuinte Português) for WooCommerce 5K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #17 ↓2 18 Portugal States (Distritos) for WooCommerce 5K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too low 19 Polski for WooCommerce 60+ · 4.8★ (10) wp.org #23 ↓3 4 too low 20 WooCommerce Tax (formerly WooCommerce Shipping & Tax) 500K+ · 2.1★ (106) wp.org #14 ↑2 6 too high 21 VIESAC – Free VAT Validation for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 ↑2 14 too high 22 Fiscalità ITA Light 70+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 Contribuinte Checkout 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 3 too high 24 B BSK Forms Validation 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #22 ↓3 2 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.