wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “web directory”
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 “web directory”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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
Catch Web Tools shows at wp.org #10 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 5038 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (504)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 
GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) heavy footprint
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Web Directory plugin Free – AI powered 300+ · 4.1★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #1 2 too high 4 
Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121)
wp.org #4 5 
Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #6 ↑7 1 too low 6 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too high 7 
Super Progressive Web Apps 40K+ · 4.6★ (225)
wp.org #7 ↓2 8 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706)
wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too low 9 
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3220)
wp.org #13 ↓2 4 too low 10 
Directorist: AI-Powered Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads 20K+ · 4.6★ (698) not PHP-current
wp.org #9 1 too high 11 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #17 ↓3 6 too low 12 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) heavy footprint
wp.org #20 8 too low 13 
Next Active Directory Integration 2K+ · 4.8★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 5 too high 14 
OneSignal – Web Push Notifications 60K+ · 4.3★ (360) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↑1 15 
WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Simple Business Directory – AI Powered 300+ · 4.9★ (62)
wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too low 17 
Web Push Notifications – Webpushr 10K+ · 4.7★ (63) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #12 5 too high 18 
Super Web Share – Native Social Sharing Button 2K+ · 4.9★ (29)
wp.org #16 ↑3 2 too high 19 
Web Stories 60K+ · 4.2★ (87)
wp.org #23 ↓6 4 too low 20 
Quttera ThreatSign – Web Malware Scanner for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (47) not PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↑1 5 too high 21 
WP Directory Kit 2K+ · 4.9★ (35) not PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 Catch Web Tools 10K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓2 12 too high 23 
Podlove Web Player 4K+ · 3.7★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #18 5 too high 24 
Employee Directory – Staff & Team Directory 100+ · 4.1★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓2 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.