Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

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

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

Ultimate Watermark – Image Watermark, Image Protection & Bulk Watermarking shows at wp.org #5 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.3★ average from 11 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF places #7 on merit, 4.5★ from 830 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ · 4.8★ (995) wp.org #1 2 Image Watermark 40K+ · 4.2★ (298) wp.org #2 3 Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization 200K+ · 4.7★ (640) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery 100K+ · 4.5★ (1581) wp.org #3 ↑5 1 too high 5 WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click 100K+ · 4.8★ (1138) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Envira Gallery – Image Photo Gallery, Albums, Video Gallery, Slideshows & More 100K+ · 4.7★ (1597) wp.org #7 ↓3 1 too low 7 ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF 300K+ · 4.5★ (830) wp.org #18 ↑1 11 too low 8 PDF Poster – Let visitors read PDF’s without leaving the page 20K+ · 4.5★ (149) wp.org #12 ↓1 4 too low 9 Smart Image Resize for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.6★ (82) wp.org #14 ↑2 5 too low 10 LemonInk Ebook Watermarking for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too high 11 Ebook Store 700+ · 4.4★ (60) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too low 12 Sunshine Photo Cart – Client Photo Gallery & Photo Proofing for Photographers 1K+ · 4.7★ (138) wp.org #20 ↑2 8 too low 13 Protect Uploads 30K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 Disable Right Click RB – Content Copy Protection, Prevent Copy & No Right Click 600+ · 4.2★ (14) wp.org #9 5 too high 15 Ultimate Watermark – Image Watermark, Image Protection & Bulk Watermarking 1K+ · 3.3★ (11) wp.org #5 ↓2 10 too high 16 Publitio 400+ · 5.0★ (41) wp.org #21 ↑2 5 too low 17 VdoCipher: Secure Video Player and Hosting 2K+ · 4.2★ (14) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 PhotoBerry Studio for Photographers – Image Selection, Proofing, Watermarking & Client Management 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #11 ↑1 7 too high 19 GrandPlugins Image Watermark 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 2 too high 20 Next Watermark 200+ · 3.4★ (11) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 PDF Compressor & Watermark – iLovePDF 500+ · 3.4★ (5) wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too high 22 Gumlet Video 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↓1 7 too high 23 Spotlightr – Secure Video Hosting for WordPress, Courses & LearnDash 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Wxs Text Watermarking 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓4 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.