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← Rankings

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

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 extensions”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 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

UpdatePulse Server shows at wp.org #5 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 30+ 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

BackUpWordPress places #7 on merit, 4.7★ from 1373 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Extensive VC Addons for WPBakery Page Builder 4K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #1 2 Ditty – Responsive News Tickers, Sliders, and Lists 30K+ · 4.6★ (106) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Schema 30K+ · 4.3★ (221) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 CubeWP Framework 3K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5 Search, Filters & Merchandising for WooCommerce 200+ · 4.6★ (169) wp.org #13 ↓1 8 too low 6 Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback 1K+ · 4.9★ (126) wp.org #12 ↓1 6 too low 7 BackUpWordPress 80K+ · 4.7★ (1373) wp.org #17 ↓1 10 too low 8 WPGlobus for WPBakery Visual Composer 2K+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Post Slider For WPBakery Page Builder 1K+ · 4.0★ (9) wp.org #11 ↓2 2 too low 10 MyStyle Custom Product Designer 50+ · 3.9★ (13) wp.org #16 ↓1 6 too low 11 BitPay Checkout for WooCommerce 200+ · 3.4★ (7) wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too low 12 V VC Extension Hover Image 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓2 6 too high 13 UpdatePulse Server 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 8 too high 14 Videomail for Ninja Forms 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 ↓1 7 too high 15 SMEPlan Security Shield — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 M MksDdn Migrate Content 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 ↓2 7 too high 17 glomex oEmbed 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too high 18 B BizCalendar Web 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 Hover Effects With Lightbox For WPBakery Page Builder (formely Visual Composer) 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 20 Addons for KingComposer 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 3 too low 21 Visual Composer Templates Library 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓1 22 Visual Composer Galleria 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 23 SVG Logo and Text Effects 60+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 too high 24 A Amazing Shortcodes for Visual Composer 10+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.