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

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 “volunteering”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 6 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

Easy Popular Posts shows at wp.org #14 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Beaver Builder Page Builder – Drag and Drop Website Builder 100K+ · 4.7★ (394) wp.org #1 2

Wired Impact Volunteer Management 1K+ · 4.8★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #2 3 V VigilanTor 400+ · 5.0★ (12) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #6 3 too low 4

EPFolio – Explorer Portfolio Kit — · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #4 5

Double the Donation – A workplace giving tool 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #3 2 too high 6

Lantern Action Mode — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #5 1 too high 7

WP Title Case 90+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 4 too low 8

Rezicraft – Professional Resume & CV Builder — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #7 1 too high 9 A Animal Shelter — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 1 too high 10

ResQ — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 1 too high 11 T The Volunteer's Guide — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 1 too high 12 N NGP Forms 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 13

Easy Scheduled Posts 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 14

Everyday Hero Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 3 too low 15

Ninja Gutenberg Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks Collection 20+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 3 too low 16 I iVolunteer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 ↑1 4 too low 17 S SnapImpact — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 L List Posts with Pingbacks 10+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 1 too low 19

Enhanced Blocks – Page Builder Blocks for Gutenberg 100+ · 3.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 3 too high 20

Easy Recent Posts 10+ · 3.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 5 too high 21

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.