Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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 “verify”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 19 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 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

Nostr Verify shows at wp.org #3 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 60+ 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

WP Meteor Website Speed Optimization Addon places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 77 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #4 3 too low 2 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #6 4 too low 3 Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Marijuana Age Verify 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 Customer Reviews for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (1539) wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 Age Gate 40K+ · 4.6★ (64) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too low 7 Login & Register Customizer – Forms, Popup, Profile & WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.8★ (254) wp.org #16 ↓2 9 too low 8 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #13 ↑6 5 too low 9 Easy Age Verify 1K+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #2 7 too high 10 Nav Menu Roles 70K+ · 4.9★ (219) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641) wp.org #19 ↓1 8 too low 12 WP Meteor Website Speed Optimization Addon 20K+ · 4.7★ (77) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #18 ↓5 5 too low 14 Customer Email Verification for WooCommerce 8K+ · 4.8★ (47) wp.org #23 ↑1 9 too low 15 Age Verification for your checkout page. Verify your customer’s identity 600+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 10 too high 16 Kybernaut IČO DIČ 2K+ · 5.0★ (38) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 CPS | Age Verification 800+ · 4.4★ (7) wp.org #14 ↑3 3 too high 18 Nostr Verify 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 15 too high 19 SMNTCS Google Webmaster Tools 6K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 SiteSEO – SEO Simplified 400K+ · 4.0★ (8) wp.org #11 ↑1 9 too high 21 Email Verify 80+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↓2 9 too high 22 Didit Verify 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↑3 14 too high 23 VerifyPass Community ID 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 8 too high 24 Simple Site Verify 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 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.