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

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 “vc”, 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Ergonet Cache shows at wp.org #4 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 3K+ 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 ACF-VC Integrator 3K+ · 4.9★ (19) wp.org #1 2 Extensive VC Addons for WPBakery Page Builder 4K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #2 3 Web and WooCommerce Addons for WPBakery Builder 1K+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 M Multi Device Switcher 10K+ · 4.3★ (11) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 FlexMeeting – Webinar & Meeting Plugin for Jitsi Meet 1K+ · 4.5★ (38) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too low 7 W WP Auto Updater 7K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #8 ↓2 1 too low 8 Event Post 1K+ · 4.3★ (35) wp.org #14 6 too low 9 BuddyMeet 600+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too low 10 Contact Form Builder by vcita 700+ · 3.3★ (42) wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too low 11 MeetingHub – Appointment Booking & Meeting Scheduling for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Jitsi 400+ · 4.8★ (13) wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 Jamie's Visual HTML Editor 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 Disabler 900+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #13 ↓1 14 Taxonomy Term Listing for Visual Composer 100+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 Ergonet Cache 3K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↓1 11 too high 16 Zalomení řádků v češtině a slovenčine 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 E Editor Bridge 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too high 18 B Back to the Top 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 C Custom Post Type Widget Blocks 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 20 W WP Is Mobile Text Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 Machexa Lite — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 JVH Gridbuilder WPBakery VC Element 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 Advanced Pricing Addon For Wp Bakery 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 Custom Content 60+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓1 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.