wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “video comments”
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 “video comments”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Webcam/Screen/Mic Recorder for Video Comments and Forms shows at wp.org #9 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 434 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281)
wp.org #1 2 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #2 3 
Modula Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery 100K+ · 4.7★ (616)
wp.org #3 4 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #4 5 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221)
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 
All-in-One Video Gallery – Video Player & Galleries for YouTube, Vimeo & Self-Hosted Videos 20K+ · 4.8★ (136)
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too high 7 
FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) not PHP-current
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint
wp.org #10 ↑3 2 too low 9 
Envira Gallery – Image Photo Gallery, Albums, Video Gallery, Slideshows & More 100K+ · 4.7★ (1597)
wp.org #14 ↓5 5 too low 10 AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel 60K+ · 4.7★ (434)
wp.org #16 ↑2 6 too low 11 
Video Gallery – YouTube Playlist, Channel Gallery by YotuWP 10K+ · 4.7★ (322)
wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too low 12 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #12 ↓1 13 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #24 11 too low 14 
Vimeotheque – Vimeo WordPress Plugin & Video Gallery 2K+ · 4.6★ (26)
wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15 
Video Gallery – YouTube Gallery, Playlist & Video Grid 2K+ · 4.9★ (128)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Protected Video 1K+ · 4.7★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #15 1 too high 17 
Simply Disable Comments 8K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #7 10 too high 18 
Disqus Comment System 30K+ · 2.7★ (219)
wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too low 19 
Album Gallery for Photo & Video 4K+ · 4.8★ (26) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 
Comment Link Remove and Other Comment Tools 8K+ · 4.1★ (15) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑1 7 too high 21 
Virtual Classroom & Video Conferencing – BigBlueButton 400+ · 4.6★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #23 2 too low 22 
Cincopa video and media plug-in 1K+ · 2.8★ (26)
wp.org #22 23 
Lean Player – Video and Audio Player with Playlist for WordPress, Elementor and Gutenberg 2K+ · 4.7★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Webcam/Screen/Mic Recorder for Video Comments and Forms 50+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↑1 15 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.