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

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

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

PDF Flipbook, WPBakery Addon – Unreal FlipBook shows at wp.org #11 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Clearfy Cache – WordPress optimization plugin, Minify HTML, CSS & JS, Defer places #3 on merit, 4.7★ from 339 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Fast Velocity Minify 30K+ · 4.6★ (195) wp.org #1 2 FraudLabs Pro for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.2★ (18) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 Clearfy Cache – WordPress optimization plugin, Minify HTML, CSS & JS, Defer 40K+ · 4.7★ (339) wp.org #9 6 too low 4 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5 The Cache Purger 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too high 6 Set Price Note (Units, Offers, Editions) for WooCommerce 600+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 Bangladeshi Payments Mobile – MFS Gateway, QR Code, Advance COD Protection, Thermal POS Invoicing & WhatsApp Suite 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 Velocity Guard for WooCommerce – Fraud Protection, Stop Fake Orders & Card Testing 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓2 2 too high 9 TrustLens – Fraud Prevention & Chargeback Defense for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #15 ↓3 6 too low 10 Sales Counter For WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↑1 5 too high 11 Init View Count – AI-Powered, Trending, REST API 80+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓2 9 too low 12 ThreatPoint IP Reputation 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↓2 9 too low 13 Velocity Wishlist – WooCommerce Wishlist Plugin 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓2 3 too high 14 InsightPress – Advanced Analytics for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too low 15 Nova Blocks by Pixelgrade 800+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16 VelocityIndex Lite — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 17 HBLPAY Payment Gateway for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 Digital Signature For Gravity Forms 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too high 19 PDF Flipbook, WPBakery Addon – Unreal FlipBook 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓1 8 too high 20 Velocity Forge – Core Web Vitals, Page Speed & Performance — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 Integrazo Automator – Send Form & WooCommerce Data to CRM & Marketing Tools 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #14 7 too high 22 360 Analytics for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too high 23 Mawu Dark Mode for the Admin Dashboard, Editor & Website 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 24 FBS StockMind – AI Inventory Management, Predictive Stock Alerts & Reorder Reminders for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓4

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.