wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “vbulletin”
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 “vbulletin”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 3 of the top 15. 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
Integrator3 shows at wp.org #10 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
NextScripts: Social Networks Auto-Poster 20K+ · 3.3★ (617) throws errorsnot PHP-current low rating, top placement
wp.org #1 2 
Popular Brand Icons – Simple Icons 3K+ · 4.7★ (10) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #2 3 
WP-UserAgent 200+ · 5.0★ (5) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #7 4 too low 4 V Vanilla Forums 100+ · 2.8★ (17) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
SSO vBulletin — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
WP vBulletin SSO 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked
wp.org #4 2 too high 7 D Display vBulletin Node 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 P PS_User Copy — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #8 9 V vBulletin Welcome Block Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #9 10 V vBPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #11 1 too low 11 N nCode Image Resizer 40+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 B bbSigPress 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 2 too low 13 P Pingcrawl 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 2 too low 14 I Integrator3 10+ · 1.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 4 too high 15 V Vbulletin Latest threads 10+ · 1.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 3 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.